Many of us know to keep away from ivy, this plant grows in the wooded or marshy areas of North America. The name ‘poison ivy’ is a bit misleading, it won’t poison you per se, but it will definitely give you a reaction if it touches your skin.

Touching poison ivy can cause you to develop an itchy blistering rash. With this in mind, you may be wondering whether this plant has this effect on chickens, and if it doesn’t, can chickens eat ivy? This article looks into it. 

Chickens can eat ivy, this plant cannot be touched by humans because of the urushiol present in the plant but chickens can, no problem. This urushiol causes a rash in humans but does not affect chickens. Still, the birds will generally prefer the small white berries that the ivy plants produce over the leaves of the plant 

Can chickens eat ivy?

Chickens can eat ivy

Ivy causes a reaction in humans but does not affect chickens. Birds and humans are different in a variety of ways, our bodies react differently to histamines and allergens.

Poison ivy produces a sap that contains urushiol, urushiol is what triggers a rash in humans. 90% of the American population is allergic to this chemical 

This plant is avoided by humans but certain animals can freely eat this plant. Animals like goats see this plant like any other delicious weed.

Chickens may not be so keen on eating the leaves but they will enjoy the small white berries that the plant produces. If the bird does decide to eat some of the leaves, the leaves won’t cause irritation, a rash, or anything negative within the bird 

If your chicken decides to eat some poison ivy, or strolls through a poison ivy patch, it can get some urushiol on its feathers. If you touch your bird and get some urushiol on your skin, you can break out in a rash. 

Do chickens eat other parts of ivy?

Yes, chickens can eat the small white berries that the poison ivy plant produces, in fact, your birds will enjoy these very much.

Your bird may also eat the poison ivy seeds in the berries, this is the first step of animal seed dispersal. Chickens will eat the seeds and after a while, the seeds will come out with the bird’s droppings. These droppings act as a fertilizer and the seeds will grow into new plants 

Warning: Humans cannot eat the white berries that poison ivy trees produce. Although this berry is loved by a variety of animals (crows, quails, wild turkeys etc), humans cannot have them because they also contain urushiol

How to protect your ivy from chickens:

If your chickens are having their way with your ivy, you may need to protect the plant from the birds. Here are ways to keep chickens out of your garden:

Essential oils:

Making use of essential oils is an easy and convenient way to keep chickens away from any plant. To do this, sprinkle some essential oils around your ivy plants to keep chickens from coming near the plant. Oils that you can use include spearmint or peppermint. Just don’t get any oil onto the plant as these oils can ‘burn’ the plant 

Citrus:

Chickens aren’t too fond of citrus, citrus repels chickens. You can use anything from citrus fruits, orange peels, or citrus essential oils around your ivy plant to keep chickens at bay

Fencing:

This permanent solution is a sure-fire way to protect your ivy from your chickens. You can use chicken wire to fence off the ivy or you can build a beautiful fence around the plants.

Create a garden for chickens:

If your ivy excites your chickens, then they may need a garden of their own. Their own garden will keep them occupied and allow your ivy to grow to its full potential. To do this, create a garden that incorporates their favorite crops, you can even create a space for their dust baths

Conclusion

In conclusion, yes chickens can eat ivy, this plant does not affect chickens the way it affects humans.

Chickens can also eat the small white berries produced by the ivy plant. If you want to keep these birds away from your ivy you can use essential oils, fence the plants off, or create a garden for your chickens 

If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other chicken related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Can chickens eat apple cores?, Can chickens eat persimmons?, Can chickens eat pumpkin skin?, Can chickens eat irises?