This useful list of poisonous plants toxic to poultry originally appeared on a US web site which has sadly ceased. Luckily I had archived a copy and am able to make it available
Poisonous Plants Toxic to Poultry by Latin Name
- Aesculus glabra Willd. — (Ohio Buckeye)
- Aesculus hippocastanum L. — (Horse Chestnut, Buckeye)
- Allium spp. — (Wild Onion)
- Amaranthus retroflexus. — (Pigweed)
- Apocynum spp. — (Dogbane)
- Arisaema spp. — (Jack-in-the-Pulpit)
- Asclepias syriaca L. — (Common Milkweed)
- Cannabis sativa L. — Hemp
- Chenopodium album L. — (Lamb’s Quarters)
- Cicuta maculata L. — (Water Hemlock)
- Claviceps purpurea (Fr.) Tul. — (Ergot)
- Conium maculatum L. — (Poison Hemlock)
- Convallaria majalis – (Lily-of-the-Valley)
- Datura stramonium L. — (Jimson Weed)
- Delphinium spp. — (Delphinium)
- Dicentra spp. (Dutchman’s Breeches & Squirrelcorn)
- Digitalis purpurea L. — (Foxglove)
- Equisetum arvense L. & other species – (Horsetails)
- Eupatorium rugosum Hout. — (White Snakeroot)
- Euphorbia milii — (Crown of Thorns)
- Glecoma hederacea L. — (Ground Ivy)
- Gymnocladus dioica (L.) K. Koch — (Kentucky Coffee Tree)
- Hedera helix L. — (English Ivy)
- Hyacinth orientalis – (Hyacinth)
- Hydrangea spp. — (Hydrangea)
- Hypericum perforatum L. — (St. Johnswort)
- Kochia scoparia L. — (Fireweed)
- Lantana camara L. — (Lantana)
- Lupinus spp. — (Lupine)
- Medicago sativa L. — (Alfalfa)
- Narcissus spp. — (Daffodil)
- Nerium oleander L. — (Oleander)
- Perilla frutescens — (Purple Mint)
- Philodendron spp. — (Philodendron)
- Phytolacca americana L. — (Poke)
- Podophyllum peltatum L. — (Mayapple)
- Pteridium aquilinum (Desv.) Hier. — (Bracken or Brake Fern)
- Ranunculus spp. — (Buttercup)
- Rhododendron spp. — (Rhododendron)
- Rheum rhaponticum L. — (Rhubarb)
- Ricinus communis L. — (Castor Bean)
- Rumex crispus L. — (Curly Dock)
- Sambucus canadensis L. — (Elderberry)
- Sanguinaria canadensis L. — (Bloodroot)
- Saponaria officinalis L. — (Bouncing Bet)
- Solanum spp. — (Nightshades)
- Solanum carolinense L. — (Horse or Bull Nettle)
- Solanum pseudocapsicum L. — (Jerusalem Cherry)
- Sorghum vulgare var. sudanense Hitchc. — (Sudan Grass)
- Taxus cuspidata Sieb. & Zucc. — (Japanese Yew)
- Toxicodendron radicans (L.) Kuntze — (Poison Ivy)
- Trifolium hybridum L. & other species — (Alsike & Other Clovers)
- Tulipa spp. — (Tulip)
- Xanthium strumarium L. — (Cocklebur)
Poisonous Plants Toxic to Poultry by Common Name
- Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)
- American Coffee Berry Tree see Kentucky Coffee Tree
- Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis L.)
- Bouncing Bet (Saponaria officinalis L.)
- Bull Nettle (Solanum carolinense L.)
- Bracken or Brake Fern (Pteridium aquilinum L.)
- Burning Bush see Fireweed
- Buttercup (Ranunculus spp.)
- Carelessweed see Pigweed
- Castor Bean (Ricinus communis L.)
- Clover, Alsike & Other Clovers (Trifolium hybridum L. & other species)
- Cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium L.)
- Creeping Charlie see Ground Ivy
- Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii)
- Curly Dock (Rumex crispus L.)
- Daffodil (Narcissus spp.)
- Delphinium (Delphinium spp.)
- Devil’s Trumpet see Jimson Weed
- Dogbane (Apocynum spp.)
- Dutchman’s Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria (L.) Bernh.)
- Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis L.)
- English Ivy (Hedera helix L.)
- Ergot (Claviceps purpurea (Fr.) Tul.)
- Fern, Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum L.)
- Fireweed (Kochia scoparia L.)
- Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea L.)
- Ground Ivy (Glecoma hederacea L.)
- Hemlock
- Poison (Conium maculatum L.)
- Water (Cicuta maculata L.)
- Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.)
- Horse Chestnut, Buckeyes (Aesculus hippocastanum L.)
- Horse Nettle (Solanum carolinense L.)
- Horsetails (Equisetum arvense L. & other species)
- Hyacinth (Hyacinth orientalis)
- Hydrangea (Hydrangea spp.)
- Ivy
- English (Hedera helix L.)
- Ground (Glecoma hederacea L.)
- Poison (Toxicodendron radicans (L.) Kuntze)
- Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema spp.)
- Jamestown Weed see Jimson Weed
- Japanese Yew (Taxus cuspidata Sieb. & Zucc.)
- Jerusalem Cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum L.)
- Jimson Weed (Datura stramonium L.)
- Kentucky Coffee Tree (Gymnocladus dioica (L.) K. Koch)
- Kentucky Mahagony Tree see Kentucky Coffee Tree
- Klamath Weed see St. Johnswort
- Lamb’s Quarters (Chenopodium album L.)
- Lantana (Lantana camara L.)
- Larkspur (Delphinium spp.)
- Lily-of-the-Valley (Convallaria majalis)
- Lupine (Lupinus spp.)
- Mad Apple see Jimson Weed
- Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum L.)
- Milkweed, Common (Asclepias syriaca L.)
- Mint, Purple (Perilla frutescens)
- Nicker Tree see Kentucky Coffee Tree
- Nightshade (Solanum spp.)
- Oleander (Nerium oleander L.)
- Ohio Buckeye (Aesculus glabra Willd.)
- Philodendron (Philodendron spp.)
- Pigweed (Amaranthus spp.)
- Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum L.)
- Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans (L.) Kuntze)
- Poke (Phytolacca americana L.)
- Purple Mint (Perilla frutescens)
- Redroot see Pigweed
- Rhododendron (Rhododendron spp.)
- Rhubarb (Rheum rhaponticum L.)
- Squirrelcorn (Dicentra canadensis (Goldie) Walp.) see Dutchman’s Breeches
- Staggerweed (Dicentra spp.) see Dutchman’s Breeches
- St. Johnswort (Hypericum perforatum L.)
- Stink Weed see Jimson Weed
- Stump Tree see Kentucky Coffee Tree
- Sudan Grass (Sorghum vulgare var. sudanense Hitchc.)
- Summer Cypress see Fireweed
- Thorn Apple see Jimson Weed
- Tulip (Tulipa spp.)
- Water Hemlock (Cicuta maculata L.)
- White Snakeroot (Eupatorium rugosum Hout.)
- Wild Onion (Allium spp.)
- Yellow Sage see Lantana
(data from the Veterinary Medicine Library, University of Illinois, 2/5/2001)
Notes Regarding Poultry Poisonous Plants
Note: I have reproduced this list as it appeared but must admit to some confusion regarding the inclusion of alfalfa and clover in the list. Both of these are common recommended fodder plants.
With these plants I can only conclude it is a matter of quantity. In other words, if the birds are denied other foods and consume too much as a proportion of their diet will problems arise.
Not all the plants on the list are toxic to the same degree – some such as Yew are highly poisonous and cattle have been known to be found dead with the leaves still in their mouth.
Further Articles on Poultry Illnesses & Ailments
- A Guide to Getting Rid of Worms in Chickens
- Bumblefoot in Chickens – A Guide to Bumblefoot
- Crop Problems in Chickens – Chicken Crop Problems
- Impacted or Bound Crop in Chickens – A Guide
- Keeping Chickens Healthy – A Guide
- Poisonous Plants Toxic to Poultry – North America
- Red Mite – Identifying & Treating Red Mite
- Sour Crop in Chickens – A Guide
