...they love 'em! But I'm not sure if I should be... Would you?
Since the green parts of potatoes are poisonous, I wouldn't!
I think the haulms are a bit poisonous (usual nightshade family toxins) - if they produce berries those are definitely highly poisonous.
Goat farmers are told not to feed haulms to goats and they're pretty tough creatures.
Better safe than sorry?
Ollie
I would check somewhere on a chickeny site as rhuabarb leaves are poisonous to man but chickens love them and are used as a wormer!
I have tried this with my last chickens and they relished the rhuabarb so may be the same sort of thing - poisonous to some and not others!
Old Bird
:D
I was surprised they went for them - having only chucked them in because they were covered with greenfly. I've opted for the cautious approach just now...
There is an extensive list of plants toxic to poultry including details of which part of the plant is toxic & what effect it will have on the bird:
http://www.poultryhelp.com/toxicplants.html
QuotePOTATO (Solanum tuberosum); immature growths; gastrointestinal tract affected by solanine glycoalkaloids; may contain toxic levels of nitrates; plant also causes dermatitis.