[karlooben]

i am just reading the email i got from b.h.w.t  as i am looking to putting my name down to rescue some more and i read this now to me this seems confusing what do u reckon ??

one part says that from breakfast in the winter u can give them layers mash with warm water , porridge pasta  etc etc an mashed potatoes ...... but then lower down it says this --


Ours also love lettuce, grass cuttings and most other green stuff you can think of.  Some of the things to avoid feeding the girls are anything to do with potatoes, tomatoes, rhubarb and avocado - all these things can be poisonous to them.---

now i have fed mine spuds an very very rarely the odd tomato which they didnt eat anyway . so can u or can u not feed potatoes.

[shiatsusu]

It's probably because potatoes are part of the deadly nightshade family. I wouldn't worry overly- they'd probably need to eat more than they could consume in a lifetime to get a toxic response.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanaceae

[Foxy]

Dont worry looby, it meant raw green potatoes can be toxic to chickens. As long as you feed the chooks cooked potato and not green ones they will be fine!

[karlooben]

thankyou for that ,i know from reading on here that the green ones are really bad an my girls never get those . but i must admit i did worry a bit    but  now i dont have to .

[Aunt Sally]

I think the mean potato leaves looby 

[karlooben]

I think the mean potato leaves looby 

huh ?? me not get that aunt sally  . only 10 mins to go an i put my name down for more ex batts ...

[azubah]

I think Aunt Sally means don't let them eat the leaves if you grow your own potatoes.
My hens love cooked potato, and so do I.

[karlooben]

ahh thanks for that 

[cathangirl]

We should never eat green potatoes either, Foxy.  Pregnant women could even have spina bifida babies from eating green spuds.
cathangirl

[Debz]

My girls love cooked potatoes and cooked peelings.  They also adore tomatoes and make me laugh as they chase the cherry ones around the run.

[andreadon]

I think Aunt Sally means don't let them eat the leaves if you grow your own potatoes.

oops.
ours get free run of the garden in the summer and i'm pretty sure they have eaten potato leaves.
in theory, they should stay clear of things that are bad for them (natural instinct apparently)..........

[shiatsusu]

Do I have the only chickens in the world who spurn "healthy" food and prefer cake, bread, cheese? Thought I'd had a breakthrough cooking their veg but this morning they barely touched them 

[andreadon]

Do I have the only chickens in the world who spurn "healthy" food and prefer cake, bread, cheese? Thought I'd had a breakthrough cooking their veg but this morning they barely touched them 

no, you're not alone!
ours will eat fresh cabbage, but only if they're the ones that john the gardener brings them - and i'm sure that's only because he talks to them when we're out!
have you tried eating your dinner outside when they're out in the garden? it's funny, but quite annoying too.  they jump up on the arm of the deckchair and dive right in!
no table manners.

[WhatCameFirst]

Do I have the only chickens in the world who spurn "healthy" food and prefer cake, bread, cheese? Thought I'd had a breakthrough cooking their veg but this morning they barely touched them 

So do I prefer cake, bread and cheese 

[blulagoo]

rhubarb can't be that toxic - mine scoffed all the leaves and nearly killed the plant!