Posion ivy

[delgan]

New to the forum from the Hoosier state. Been around chickens for most of my life having grown up on a farm and having chickens most of my married life. I raised some pullets this spring and built a nice house for them near a grown up field next to the barn. I want to expand thier range area by adding more fenced in area which raises a question. This added area has some posion ivy growing in it. Will the posion ivy bother them as it does a person and if they do eat on it, will it pass on to the eggs and cause a problem for us humans? Thanks in advance for any comments

[Oregon Swedes]

Now there 's a question that never occurred to me.

I don't know if chickens suffer from poison ivy contact. I don't know if it will pass through the eggs. i do know that if the birds are in the poison ivy then you touch their feathers after that, you will get the irritating oils transferred from the feathers to your skin. If you are susceptible to poison ivy, you will then get a bad case of it.

If it were my place, I'd dose the poison ivy in a spritz of Roundup before I turned the chickens loose in it.

Dogs don't seem to be bothered by poison ivy, and the deer certainly aren't, so maybe the oils are a human skin problem. Or rather, it is a problem for some humans. Some humans don't get any reaction to it.

[Altair]

Got goats? Neighbors have some? Turn a few loose. Personally I think sap components would be rendered harmless if they ate it, which I've never seen my hens do.

[delgan]

Thanks for the replies. Goats--use to have them and do miss not having a couple--old brairs and the like are on top of their list to eat. Lots of deer around and I see them in the ivy all the time--maybe the oil doesn't get down to the skin from all of their hair. I think I will try keeping it mowed down close for a couple of months to see if it will die out-- hate to use Roundup and have to worry about the chemicals ending up in the eggs, but maybe what I will have to do. I will just wait several months before putting them out in that area as I will have wait for new growth anyway.

[Angela]

I wouldn't worry about it.

It's blackberry season here, and as usual, poison ivy. I am susceptable to it, and get a raging case of it every year.....from my horses and dogs. They carry the oil on their coats, and transfer it to me. My birds have been in it, and out of it for years...with no noticable affect. I don't think that they eat it, but they are certainly in and around it.

Good question, but I don't think that it should be a concern. Roundup.....BAD!!!

[goosedragon]

Thanks for the replies. Goats--use to have them and do miss not having a couple--old brairs and the like are on top of their list to eat. Lots of deer around and I see them in the ivy all the time--maybe the oil doesn't get down to the skin from all of their hair. I think I will try keeping it mowed down close for a couple of months to see if it will die out-- hate to use Roundup and have to worry about the chemicals ending up in the eggs, but maybe what I will have to do. I will just wait several months before putting them out in that area as I will have wait for new growth anyway.

jUST REMEMBER that your mower could have a good build up of the sap from mowing Posion Ivy so wash it down good before messing with contact surfaces. Bright sunlight degrades the oil fairly rapidity but if sheltered from rain and sunlight bits have been found to be active for up to 7 years after cutting. DO NOT BURN GREEN CUTTINGS! The sap can be in the smoke and inhaling it can do a job on your lungs.Round Up breaks down in 22 days or less.

[delgan]

Thanks Goosedragon-never gave it a thought about the oil being up under the deck--would be bad when changing blade.