The Poultry Keeper

jasp27 · Joined: 26 Jun 2008 Posts: 13

Hi, I'm two weeks into chickens with 3 loveley ladies.
Yesterday they ate some Foxglove leaves. One looked poorly this morning and another looks like she is going the same way.
Are the Foxglove leaves (no flowers) to blame? If so what can I do?
The first one is just sitting in the comfort of the nest box and off her food and water. The second is going off her food and slowing down too.
If not the leaves then what else could it be?

jubilee · Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Posts: 125 Location: nottinghamshire

I would suspect it could easily be the foxglove leaves, as it's a form of digitalis i believe, a form of heart medication to slow the heart beat, i would take them both to the vets ASAP! What i do find odd, is that the birds ate them, chickens are usually very good at knowing what's good and what's not, unfortunately, foxglove is deadly to a wide range of animals, humans too, i pulled all mine up when we got the house ten years ago. hope they get better, maybe the vet can give them something to counteract it. xx

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3540 Location: Monmouthshire

They don't usually eat sufficient of wild plants to harm themselves, but foxglove/digitalis springs to mind & not being a pharmacist I have no idea which part of the plant it's extracted from.

jubilee · Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Posts: 125 Location: nottinghamshire

the root is the part digitalis comes from henwife i think mate, didn't someone kill their mother with some grated up in pasta on midsomer murders!? Anyway, sorry, wether the leaves would do sufficient damage mate i'm not sure, but a chicken is quite small, alot smaller than us at any rate, but i should think the vet would be the best bet, or at least give them a ring and ask for some advice on what to do incase it is that which has made them ill. xx

oliversnana · Joined: 20 May 2008 Posts: 56 Location: leicestershire

i've just looked this up digitalis comes from the leaves.

jubilee · Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Posts: 125 Location: nottinghamshire

oh bugger! that means it's a vet job mate, i would take them ASAP. good luck. xx Crying or Very sad

Autumn · Joined: 27 Jun 2008 Posts: 494 Location: Suffolk

I hope they'll be a bit brighter tomorrow, if not definitely ring the vet first thing...he may have an antidote.
Please keep us posted. Fingers crossed.

CP · Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 3:03 am Post subject:

How much of the leaves did they eat? Question

I've no idea how much or how little they would need to consume before any symptoms would occur. Confused

As mentioned by Henwife, they usually know what they can or can't eat.

jasp27 · Joined: 26 Jun 2008 Posts: 13

They are up and about this morning - so I guess they did not eat much of the plant. I am very relieved as yesterday the garden was very subdued. I have obviously pulled the remaining plants up out of the garden.
Thanks for your comments everone.

Autumn · Joined: 27 Jun 2008 Posts: 494 Location: Suffolk

Phew...relief!!!! Very Happy

Yay, it's so good to have a happy ending! Very Happy

Pekinout · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 1219 Location: Cornwall

Glad they've recovered.

jubilee · Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Posts: 125 Location: nottinghamshire

So glad to hear they're ok, i think you were very lucky, but they proberbly didn't eat all that much, as i said, they are pretty good at knowing what's good and what's not! good luck with them, and i hope they get on ok. xx

EGirl · Joined: 01 Nov 2007 Posts: 1322 Location: Dublin, Ireland

Keep an eye out for more seedlings though, Foxglove is great at self-seeding, you never know where they will spring up again. Wink

gordon · Joined: 01 Oct 2008 Posts: 3 Location: birmingham

Tarka · Joined: 21 Dec 2007 Posts: 421

If it ever happens again and your worried , fill a plastic syringe up full of Natural Greek Yogurt and gently empty into the mouth of the hen .
Hopefully this will dilute or flush the toxins out quicker .