[Kuikentje]

We'll be expecting them to help us with the weeding in return for their keep - is there anything we're likely to find in a typical, fairly wild garden, that would harm them?

[Springlands]

The main weed to avoid would be ragwort - apart from that they will probably be OK with most weeds but there are other plants that are not good for them, for example tomato leaves. You could get a comprehensive list on the internet.

[Kuikentje]

Ragwort is terrible stuff.  It's not even pretty.  Its one and only virtue is that it is food for the Monarch butterfly.  I have a pony so I'm well aware of its properties and I would destroy it like a shot if it appeared in my garden!

[ANHBUC]

There is a list of the plants that are poisonous to poultry HERE   

[Kuikentje]

Thanks ANHBUC - aren't there a lot?

The buttercup one is a bit of a blow.  We seem to have a lot of those.  Luckily they are not too difficult to pull up, once they are big enough to grasp - but it's when they are too small for me to notice them that it's a problem, that will be when the hens will eat them, isn't it?  Or will they leave them alone because of the taste?

[nuzuki]

I read anything from the nightshade family i.e. ivy is bad for them.

[Springlands]

Thanks ANHBUC - aren't there a lot?

The buttercup one is a bit of a blow.  We seem to have a lot of those.  Luckily they are not too difficult to pull up, once they are big enough to grasp - but it's when they are too small for me to notice them that it's a problem, that will be when the hens will eat them, isn't it?  Or will they leave them alone because of the taste?

I read somewhere that hens know what is bad for them (cannot remember where I read it) but not sure I would want to take too much of a chance.

[ANHBUC]

Thanks ANHBUC - aren't there a lot?

The buttercup one is a bit of a blow.  We seem to have a lot of those.  Luckily they are not too difficult to pull up, once they are big enough to grasp - but it's when they are too small for me to notice them that it's a problem, that will be when the hens will eat them, isn't it?  Or will they leave them alone because of the taste?

I read somewhere that hens know what is bad for them (cannot remember where I read it) but not sure I would want to take too much of a chance.

Some people say their hens don't eat what is bad for them but mine do.  I have a problem with ivy growing over neighbouring fences and my hens will eat it if they get the chance.   

[Squibbs]

I suspect hens will only start eating things bad for them if they don't have other better things. My garden has ragwort which I miss occasionally, foxgloves, a lot of ivy, lords and ladies and buttercups - normal and creeping. The hens don't touch the stuff - they have plenty of grass, herbs (grrrrr...) bugs and stuff to eat instead.

Ragwort however if pulled up and left to dry becomes less bitter and more palatable.

The Monarch butterfly is very rarely found in the UK - I think you may mean the cinnabar moth - its caterpillars feed on ragwort

[Kuikentje]

You're quite right, Squibbs - I'm thinking of an article in a very old nature book I had as a child (anybody else remember 'The Wonder Book Of Nature'?).

[8doubles]

Foxgloves are also dangerous to hens ! There has been the odd self seeded Foxglove in the garden all the time i have kept hens with no problems but recently an ex-batt went off colour (blue tinge to the comb) stopped laying and was very lethargic taking an age to walk across the garden.
At first i put this down to being a burnt out ex-batt and expected to lose her.

While looking around the garden i found a small self seeded Foxglove with damaged leaves which looked chickeny rather than sluggy and thought the daft ****** has done herself in with Digitalis !

The foxgloves are now always quickly removed and the hen has made a full recovery (over a month) and is laying again !

[ANHBUC]

The Monarch butterfly is very rarely found in the UK - I think you may mean the cinnabar moth - its caterpillars feed on ragwort

It is sad.     When we moved to our house 17 years ago (1996) there were hundreds of them around our garden.  It was really magical to see them.  We have only seen odd ones since and not for many years now. 

[nuzuki]

I've been sowing wild flower seeds in our paddock as an attempt to give these bugs a nice enviroment to thrive in. Fingers crossed it will work as we are looking to get bees in the next couple of years.