The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: melholly on August 14, 2011, 06:05:54 pm

Title: Ragwort
Post by: melholly on August 14, 2011, 06:05:54 pm

Quick Q to all you knowledgables out there, is ragwort at all poisonous to ducks? I'm not a lazy so and so - did try googling but couldn't find a non-horse related search result!

Thanks all

Mx

Title: Re: Ragwort
Post by: northfifeduckling on August 14, 2011, 06:45:55 pm

I wondered about the same - or for chickens?
I pulled them up anyway... :&>

Title: Re: Ragwort
Post by: jaykay on August 14, 2011, 06:49:32 pm

Backyard chicken forum had a thread about a hen who'd been poisoned by eating ragwort  :(

Since it causes liver damage and we've all got livers, I would have thought it was poisonous to most living things, ducks included (cinnabar caterpillars not, obviously).

I pull the horrid stuff up too, but you should wear gloves and then burn it  >:(

Title: Re: Ragwort
Post by: Hopewell on August 14, 2011, 07:57:11 pm

Other than Cinnabar caterpillars I would imagine ragwort is poisonous to anything that eats it. It is more likely to be eaten by mammals when dried in hay but I would imagine chickens would be more likely to peck at it when its fresh. It's affect is not immediate usually and gradually builds up over time causing liver failure.