[Lost in France]

Does anyone know whether mistletoe is harmful to hens?  :?: We have just done some work on a huge poplar to cut off overhanging branches which were covered in mistletoe.  We want to clear the berries that have been left in the grass before we use it to graze our alpacas because mistletoe is very toxic to alpacas. We wondered whether the hens could move into that area for a while and clear up the berries as there far are too many for us to clear!   Other birds eat the berries as that's how it's spread but are all birds the same??? :?:

Sorry folks...although we still have loads of mistletoe, don't think it would travel by post but you're welcome to pop over for some...if you can climb!!

Judi

[Bodger]

I was going to say that I'd always considered mistletoe to be poisonous but then, as you say, its spread by being passed in the droppings of wild birds. In view of that, I'm going to stick my head out and say that they should be OK. Although chickens are thick little creatures, they instinctively seem to know whats good for them and whats not, especially when they our out on free range.

[Vickie & Richard]

Misletoe is not spread by droppings, when a bird eats them, their beks get all sticky so they fly up into trees and wipe their beks on the branches to wipe it off, hench why misletoe grows so high up in trees.  No sure if the chooks would like them.

[Bodger]

You're right

[Vickie & Richard]

I'm not a natural blonde!! he he he he  

[Bodger]

   
I could kick myself for forgetting about mistletoe, I've read about it a hundred times and I hate being wrong.

[Kate and her Ducks]

I think I read somewhere that Mistletoe berries are edible but that the leaves are toxic. Can't remember where though so I wouldn't regard me as reliable :?

[Kate and her Ducks]

Found this:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A685091

Does look like it's pretty poisonous.

[hectic]

This site is quite useful... http://www.poultryhelp.com/toxicplants.html

MISTLETOES (Phoradendron spp.); leaves, stems, berries; gastrointestinal tract affected by toxalbumins; plant also causes dermatitis.