[Bionic]

I have just read Goosepimples post about her ewe dying and people saying it could be the rhubarb.  I bought a rhubarb plant yesterday and am just deciding where to put it.

If the leaves are likely to be poisonous to my chickens that will rule out the back garden.

thanks
Sally

[Small Farmer]

Poisonous to everything. Even the stems have a fair hit of oxalic acid, but it's concentrated in the leaves.

[goosepimple]

Yes, the leaves can give humans a very sore tummy but won't kill you.  Our vet said it would be unlikely to kill our sheep but then Jaykay said her friends goats died when someone fed some to them, so you never know.  We did have a large fruit garden in our last place and the hens were always scratching around under the huge rhubarb leaves there, didn't eat any.  Most animals know what not to eat, just some are a bit more adventurous (sadly).

[rbarlo32]

a number of people died during the first world war from eating the leaves. you would need to eat quite alot but dont risk it put it away from your birds and you may get some stems for eating too.

[in the hills]

I dont have any here but had a lot growing where I lived previously.

In general the poultry never touched it and although they free ranged amongst it , I never had any problems. I was really worried one Spring when I realised they had eaten all the new young leaves right down to the ground    Expected the worst but they were fine and did the same in following springs. Someone told me that the toxins maybe low then and that hens would possibly eat them as a natural way of controlling internal parasites.    Anyone else know anything about this? All I can say is they chose to eat in spring with no ill effects but didnt eat later in the year.

Not sure Bionic ...... maybe better safe than sorry?

[Bionic]

I think I will plant it in the front garden to be on the safe side.

Thanks everyone

Sally

[Bramblecot]

We have 3 plants in the veg garden and the hens root around near them but don't eat the leaves - just a nibble maybe.  However they do eat the sweet peas, beans, courgettes :-[cabbages and practically everthing else .  I think the free-ranging is going to have to stop

[Small Farmer]

I've just put a fence across the lower orchard to contain the hens. It's jut impracticable to fence off everything individually from the marauders.

[manian]

we have 2 big plants that the chickens don't bother with
I'm about to pick my first crop........ should have done it before but too wet

[robert waddell]

Lillian has made two lot of rubbarb tarts and crumble    both lots has not lasted  long mmmmmuuuu

[northfifeduckling]

We have 3 plants in the veg garden and the hens root around near them but don't eat the leaves - just a nibble maybe.  However they do eat the sweet peas, beans, courgettes :-[cabbages and practically everthing else .  I think the free-ranging is going to have to stop

same here, since mine decided to go free range (ehhm escape on a daily basis) the happily forage under the rhubarb but don't actually touch it. I no longer plant sweet peas as I read somewhere they're toxic, too (just to be on the safe side). Not sure if it applies to birds or just humans. 

[ScotsGirl]

Well.... I planted some lovely rhubarb last year, it was growing really well and....... then bloody hens ate the lot!  No dead hens and no crumble!!

This year the hen run is protecting the rhubarb and lots of lovely crumble! Even the lambs had a little nibble last year when they broke in but it didn't seem to bother them.

Having said that I have no plans to add it to either of their feeding regime.

[MAK]

Silly me - I won't put the leaves on my cmpost heap but today I fed the pigs some left over cooked rhubarb .
Thanks for the heads up.

[goosepimple]

Oh yes, I remember when we had tamworths, they sooked up the cooked rhubarb and loved it hugely, it was great fun to watch

[HelenVF]

We have 3 of our chickens in the veg area, which also has rhubarb and not had a problem with it.  I don't think they are even touching it.

Helen