Gardening

mopinko

(71,998 posts) Fri Oct 26, 2012, 10:40 AM Oct 2012

name that weed

can someone identify this weed? it appears to be something in the nightshade family, and i wonder if the chickens could eat it. obviously leery. but they have picked my yard pretty clean, and i am looking to weeds at the farm that i can harvest. these are kinda plentiful. the berries are purple when they ripen.

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name that weed (Original Post) mopinko Oct 2012 OP

Wow! N_E_1 for Tennis Oct 2012 #1

Black Nightshade Viva_La_Revolution Oct 2012 #2

Agree it is black nightshade. I was curious Curmudgeoness Oct 2012 #3

thanks much. mopinko Oct 2012 #4

N_E_1 for Tennis

(10,900 posts)

1. Wow!

Reply to mopinko (Original post)

Fri Oct 26, 2012, 12:27 PM

Oct 2012

To introduce, I am a very beginner forager.

Leaves look as tho they were chowed on by an insect then left alone!
That in itself would make me question the plant.

Check out some foraging sites. This might be a good place to start.

http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/

Maybe you could email him the pic and see if he could id it.

There are many many more foraging sites but Steve is one of the best!

Viva_La_Revolution

(28,791 posts)

2. Black Nightshade

Reply to mopinko (Original post)

Fri Oct 26, 2012, 12:32 PM

Oct 2012

Solanum nigrum

Usually poisonous to humans, birds and critters like it though.

Curmudgeoness

(18,219 posts)

3. Agree it is black nightshade. I was curious

Reply to mopinko (Original post)

Fri Oct 26, 2012, 05:38 PM

Oct 2012

about whether chickens could eat it, so I did a search and found an interesting site that said do not feed them to chickens.

This is a list of many plants that are toxic, or potentially toxic to poultry. Note however, that even if chickens have access to toxic plants, they will usually avoid them. Care should be taken however, as there is still a chance of them ingesting harmful plants, especially if they are very hungry.

http://chickens.wikia.com/wiki/Plants_Toxic_to_Chickens

mopinko

(71,998 posts)

4. thanks much.

Reply to mopinko (Original post)

Sat Oct 27, 2012, 09:43 AM

Oct 2012

appears that ripe beans are edible. i may give it a try. a little diarrhea isn't gonna kill them.
they do know what not to eat, but after they have eaten everything else, they will eat it anyway. i think if i watch them, they will pick out the ripe berries, and i can take away the rest.

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