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Helpful & Harmful Plants for Backyard Chickens

Published on October 23, 2017Last updated November 18, 2021 ♛ By Melissa J. Will

This post contains affiliate links.
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Have you got backyard hens or plan to get some? The Chicken Whisperer’s Guide to Keeping Chickens lists beneficial plants that act as natural insecticides around chicken coops, as well as poisonous plants to avoid around hens.

Ever wonder what determines the color of a chicken egg? It depends on the breed of the hen.

Brown chickens in the garden.

Keeping Backyard Hens Safe

Helpful and harmful plants for backyard chickens. Watch what you grow to keep your hens safe.

Images and selection in this post are provided with permission from Quarto Book Publishing USA who also provided a review copy of The Chicken Whisperer’s Guide to Keeping Chickens by Andy G. Schneider and Dr. Brigid McCrea, Ph.D.

When we think about keeping our backyard hens safe, we look at housing and fencing to protect them from predators. But what about common plants that can be harmful to hens? With appetites for anything they can get their beaks on, it’s important to ensure poisonous or harmful plants are not growing in their midst.

The helpful plants are natural insecticides that help reduce mites and lice that otherwise may cause health problems for chickens. These plants should be placed outside the chicken’s range, so they are not eaten by the hens but can offer protection.

Natural Insecticides

Keeping backyard chickens safe

In terms of plants and tress to place around—not in—your coop, consider these, which have natural insecticidal properties.

These plants aren’t good for your chickens to eat, but they may prevent the forward-march of mites or lice toward your flock.

Chrysanthemums Chrysanthemum morifolium
Chrysanthemums
Chrysanthemum morifolium
Bay laurel Laurus nobilis
Bay laurel
Laurus nobilis
Neem tree Azadirachta indica
Neem tree
Azadirachta indica
Lavender Lavandula angustifolia
Lavender
Lavandula angustifolia
Tansy Tanacetum vulgare
Tansy
Tanacetum vulgare
Artemisia Artemisia vulgaris
Artemisia
Artemisia vulgaris
Comfrey Symphytum officinale
Comfrey
Symphytum officinale

Poisonous Plants

Finally, let’s look at poisonous plants. Because they’re often difficult for the average homeowner to identify, we recommend consulting your local extension agent or master gardener. Keep in mind that seasonal seeds, pods, or acorns—which you may not see at the time of year when you’re readying your coop—can pose risk, so plan ahead when you are choosing a site for your coop.

The toxicity of these plants may be restricted to their seed, a particular part of the plant, or a stage of growth, so read up before landscaping with some of these plants. It’s not necessarily the first bit you should worry about, but rather chickens consuming larger quantities over time.

Shown here are some poisonous plants to remove from your yard.

Foxglove Digitalis purpurea
Foxglove
Digitalis purpurea
Nightshade Atropa belladonna
Nightshade
Atropa belladonna
Oleander Nerium oleander L.
Oleander
Nerium oleander L.
Black locust Robinia pseudocacia L.
Black locust
Robinia pseudocacia L.
Bladderpod / badpod Lsomeris arborea
Bladderpod / badpod
Lsomeris arborea
Castor bean Ricinus communis
Castor bean
Ricinus communis
Corn cockle Agrostemma githago L.
Corn cockle
Agrostemma githago L.
Crown vetch Coronilla varia L.
Crown vetch
Coronilla varia L.
Death camas Toxicoscordion veneeosum
Death camas
Toxicoscordion veneeosum
Jimsonweed / thorn apple Datura stramonium
Jimsonweed / thorn apple
Datura stramonium
Milkweed Asclepias syriaca
Milkweed
Asclepias syriaca
Poison hemlock Conium maculatum
Poison hemlock
Conium maculatum
Pokeberry Phytolacca Americana
Pokeberry
Phytolacca Americana
Water hemlock /cowbane Cicuta maculata
Water hemlock /cowbane
Cicuta maculata
Yew Taxus baccata
Yew
Taxus baccata

The Chicken Whisperer’s Guide to Keeping Chickens

Everything you need to know… and didn’t know you needed to know about backyard and urban chickens.

Hens make wonderful pets.

Keep them safe, healthy, and happy.

~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛

Helpful and harmful plants for backyard chickens. Watch what you grow to keep your hens safe.
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Melissa J. Will - Empress of DirtWelcome!
I’m Melissa J. Will a.k.a. the Empress of Dirt (Ontario, Canada).
Join me as I share creative + frugal home & garden ideas with a dash of humor.
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