I always wondered do chickens eat daisies? -The answer is yes, chickens can eat daisies. In fact, they love slurping daisy flowers.
Is this the year you’re planning a flower garden? Are you interested in growing plants that serve many purposes? You may be curious as to what kinds of flowers chickens like.
Daisies are a type of flower that is part of the Asteraceae family, along with coneflowers, dandelions, and marigolds. These flowers are edible, but they should be consumed in moderation by your flock. A diagram of a sunflower or gerbera flower, for example, might include numerous sections due to the intricate nature of the flower’s head.
According to Backyard Nature, daisies are examples of what are known as composite flowers because of the combination of many types of petals inside the single flower.
The flowers can be used as an addition to salads or enjoyed fresh as an appetizer or snack.
So, can chickens eat daisy flowers? Are daisies poisonous to chickens? – Let’s look at the daisy flower and whether or not all of its components are actually edible.
Can chickens eat daisy petals?
Daisy petals or ‘disk flowers’ are edible to chickens. In fact, petals are like spaghetti to them, and chickens love eating them!
Disc flowers (or disc florets) are characterized by a dense clustering of tiny petals in the flower’s center and by a narrow, tubular blossom with five short, uniformly spaced, pointed petals that surround the flower’s edge.
Clemson Cooperative Extension says that certain daisies, such as gerbera daisies, have more eye-catching petals in a wider spectrum of colors-yellow, pink, red, orange, lavender, and white.
So yes, they are safe for your flock.
Can chickens eat the stamens and carpels of a daisy flower?
Certainly, they are nutritious sections that hens like pecking.
Stamens are the male reproductive structures of daisy and daisy-like disk flowers. Both single and many ovules may be found in the carpels of disk blooms. Ovules are structures in daisy flowers that carry the female reproductive organs. The female reproductive organs, or carpels, of a daisy are located near to the male reproductive structures, or stamens.
Can chickens eat daisy leaves?
Chickens enjoy leafy greens, and it’s good to know that they’re completely healthy to eat. In fact, they are more likely to consume the leaves before moving on to the “disc flowers.”
They will definitely have a lot of health benefits eating them!
Can chickens eat daisy stems?
The daisy’s leaves and blooms get water and nutrients through the stems. Consequently, chickens might enjoy eating these components of the daisy bloom as well.
Chickens like scratching in the dirt, pecking at vegetation, and foraging for food.
Are daisies safe for chickens?
Yes, all parts of the daisy flower are safe for chickens to eat. However, it would be best if you did not let your chickens eat all the daises in your garden at ONCE.
What flowers can chickens eat?
There are many flowers that are safe for your flock to gobble!
Let’s move on to the chicken friendly plants:
- Lavender
- Sage
- Thyme
- Clover blossom
- Nasturtium Plants
- Sunflower
- Echinacea
- Apple blossom
- Roses
- Dandelions
- Bee balm
- Marigolds
- Violets
- Squash blossom
- Lavender
- Sage
These blossoms won’t harm your hens in any way, shape, or form. They all fit within the chicken diet.
Did you know that not only CAN chickens eat flowers, but they SHOULD!
Some of these are really beneficial to their health. Incorporating roses into your chicken’s diet is a great way to boost its defenses because of the antiseptic and antibacterial characteristics they contain.
Can chickens eat marigolds?
With the help of marigolds, the egg yolks are more vibrant and golden. So yes, chickens love eating marigolds!
The clover flower is a blood cleanser and a source of calcium and other vitamins for your flock. Echinacea is useful in treating respiratory problems.
What plants are poisonous to chickens?
It is always a good idea to conduct a little study and to have blossoming or other plants in your flower garden or backyard that hens may reach in order to guarantee that your chickens do not unintentionally ingest anything that might kill them or cause some long-term injury.
There are many flowers chickens should avoid.
The following is a list of toxic plants that should under no circumstances be planted in close proximity to chickens:
- monkshood
- Amaryllis
- castor bean
- trumpet vine
- nightshade
- lily of the valley
- azaleas
- rhododendron
- mountain laurel
- daffodils
- foxglove
- morning glory
- yew
- jimson weed
- tulips
- sweet pea
- corn cockle
There are a significant number of other toxic plants that you should avoid having around your hens.
The indiscreet nature of chickens as eaters means they may sometimes consume leaves, flowers, or plants that are harmful to them.
Our goal is to look after them, and make sure they don’t do that!
Conclusion:
Chickens love daisies! Not only are they fun for your chickens to play with, but they can also provide a great healthy snack for them to keep them busy for hours.
You can have your own flower garden of daisies or just grow them in pots around your coop. It’s advisable to have your own chicken run too.
And please don’t feed your chickens with flowers that are sprayed with pesticides, fungicides or other chemical treatments!
Keeping chickens is not an easy task, trust me.
A healthy flock is the result of diligent chicken care.
