14 Aug Growing Chicken Treats = Red Elderberry
This is one plant that I absolutely love to have around just for my chickens. Sambucus racemosa is a Pacific Northwest native shrub and is super easy to grow, thriving in all kinds of growing conditions (sun or shade, dry or moist soil, etc). Every bird within a mile radius knows when the elderberry fruit is ripe and comes for it. Most farmers will tell you that it will grow in pastures because livestock won’t eat it…because the stems and leaves are toxic and most animals know better than to eat it. It can actually become weedy, but it is easy to control and I don’t hesitate to cut it down entirely and let it regrow if it gets too big for the space it volunteered to grow in. The Sambucus genus’ edibililty factor varies from species to species. The red berries are edible if cooked but not nearly as sweet as other species and varieties- see these for sale: purple, blue golden etc.. Another benefit for this plant: the large white clusters of flowers are frequented by hummingbirds and butterflies!
Chickens find shelter and food under the elderberry shrub