Greens

[Pony Girl]

Are all of the following OK to feed my chickens from the allotment or are any best avoided / poisonous? I want to supplement their diet with more greens and have been buying them cabbages / apples every week (changed to apple as they seemed to go off cabbage). Is there anything else they might like that isn’t too expensive?

Radish tops
Beetroot tops
Potato leaves
Courgette leaves

 

[foxy]

I would avoid the potato leaves as there is some evidence that they are harmful to poultry.

 

[Marigold]

Yes, I agree about potatoes but in the while chickens just won't eat plants that are harmful to them. A few million years of evolution in action, I suppose!

 

[chrismahon]

You can eat beetroot leaves Pony Girl -young ones only as they get stringy. Ours didn't like Courgette leaves at all as they have spikes on the underside. Whilst they had access to potato leaves they never touched them -they know what isn't good. Carrot leaves -lovely! Assume radish tops would be fine as well. Ours only ate Savoy cabbage -the one with the dark green crinkly leaves. Think the secret is constant variety, otherwise they get fed up of the one thing. Bottom is fed up with strawberries!!!!