I have started giving them a few handfuls of mixed greens every morning,,,, what else can I add to distract them from my plants? Thanks for all the info. Another tip to keeping them out of an area is to wet it down well. It's the only thing planted besides grass in their part of the pasture and i keep having to re bury them! This perennial or biennial is common in the Northeast and along the West Coast. All poultry are susceptible to aflatoxicosis; however, ducks and turkeys are particularly sensitive. Thanks for sharing!! Agapanthus (African lily) - poisonous Agave - skin irritant Aglaonema (Chinese evergreen) - poisonous; skin irritant Agrostemma githago (corncockle) - somewhat poisonous alder buckthorn - see Rhamnus Allamanda - poisonous; skin & eye irritant Alocasia (taro) - poisonous; skin & eye irritant Aloe - poisonous Because they grow aggressively, youll need to be vigilant about removing them. Get more chicken-keeping help from HobbyFarms.com: Jodi Helmer is a North Carolina-based writer covering food and farming topics. A crystalline halogen has been identified as the toxic fat factor in some feeds. The toxins are fast-acting, and a small amount can have a lethal impact. I have a large number of grape vines and a modest amount of grass in the backyard that my hens munch so they are never at loss for green stuff when they are free roaming. A catarrhal gastroenteritis and burns or erosions in the lining of the gizzard, accompanied by a greenish, seromucous exudate throughout the intestinal tract, are found at necropsy. Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA(known as MSD outside of the US and Canada) is dedicated to using the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. Hope they are "safe". Vitamin Based: Will kill within twenty-four hours. Hatchability is decreased. Good little hens too. These records include use of disinfectants and rodenticides and insecticides on the premises, medications administered in feed and water, and nutritional additives to the feed. Diagnosis of botulism is often based on exclusion of other possible causes, although intestinal contents and blood can be collected for botulism toxin analysis (mouse inoculation assay), which is available at several USA diagnostic laboratories. For the safety of workers as well as poultry, the grower should have access to material safety data sheets for each chemical used on the premises. Ammonia gas is produced by the metabolism of uric acid by bacteria that can thrive in wet poultry litter. I would like to fence the area, but the person who weeds that garden says "no". 12 years into chicken keeping, we still have a little flock and the garden is actually much lovelier than it was before having chickens. Good to know- thanks !-But for one thing, my chickens did eat our Lantana! (We also have quite a predator problem and I've encountered a huge hawk perched on top of the coop twice!). Many fruits are safe for chickens, but the leaves and pits of an apricot contain cyanogenic glycosides that are highly toxic, triggering symptoms such as seizures, breathing problems and low blood pressure. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Organic Chicken Feed [List of Retailers by State], Free-Range Chicken Gardens: How to Create a Beautiful, Chicken-Friendly Yard, I just had to tell someone | Hanbury House, Maintaining A Garden with Chickens | Hanbury House, https://hanburyhouse.com/poisonous-plants/. Turkeys are very sensitive; levels of 150 ppm result in substantial mortality. To increase monarch populations, people are increasingly planting ornamental types of milkweed and encouraging common milkweed to grow wherever it occurs in uncultivated areas. Instead of cutting down trees, confine chickens to acorn-free areas. Can you please tell me about the black chicken in the Pittosporum picture? A beautiful garden with chickens takes more than just avoiding plants that chickens like to eat and only growing plants chickens dont eat. African Blue Lily is native to southern Africa and grows from fleshy rhizomes. Its OK to continue growing rhubarb, just restrict the flocks access to the garden. In spring, plant them in a pot or flat with drainage holes. Thank you so much for taking the time to post this info. Calcium levels >2% will induce these lesions in broilers. Pammy Riggs, author of Keeping Chickens for Dummies looks at gardening with chickens and other poultry. Toxic effects have also been described in broilers simultaneously treated with tiamulin or sulfonamides. Foxgloves reseed prolifically, so getting the population under control can be challenging. Awesome article. Mine seem to eat everything! You must have read my mind. Signs of toxicity include a characteristic paralysis in which the legs are extended backward. Still, there is much more chance of them trying a poisonous plant when they are hungry or shut inside their run for extended periods. These plants are not only extremely poisonous to poultry, but also to many other types of livestock and humans. I think it's worth mentioning to keep in mind that in the spring when there may not be much to pick from, somethings get eaten that normally would not. Although the amount of toxin varies in feeds from different sources, 0.25%0.5% fed for 35150 days produces typical lesions. Twenty (or less) chickens ate 17 big plants (not in bloom) I must have been lucky because they never showed ill effects. Toxicity is frequently seen in hot weather when sulfaquinoxaline is provided in drinking water. Agapanthus is more toxic to cats than dogs and humans because cats weigh less. My chickens love the greens of my muscari but don't seem to eat the flowers Congratulations! PCBs depress egg production and hatchability, and levels of 50 ppm result in cirrhosis of the liver and ascites in broilers and a drop in egg production and hatchability in hens. We only have two chickens but they munch everything! Agapanthus Salivias ( a lot of varieties!) It is toxic to chicks at 40 ppm and to goslings at 150 ppm; it causes leg deformities and weight loss. Bromethalin: This is a very potent neurotoxin that kills within twenty-four hours. Agapanthus praecox is a clump-forming South African perennial, with strap-like leaves and showy blue flowers from mid- to late summer. Agapanthus praecox works well when planted en masse in the border or in a large container on the patio. This ornamental evergreen, known as the Tree of Death, is highly toxic. All parts of this plant contain a toxin called saponin, although the roots, leaves, and sap have the most concentrated levels. 8 Continue to 9 of 10 below. In the absence of a drought or seasonal feed shortage, any dramatic change in animal . For example Artemisia is a poison if eaten in sufficient dose and is also very invasive. In dogs, eating lilies will probably result in a stomach upset. Concentrations >0.05% in the feed produce signs of toxicosis. JavaScript is disabled. My suggestion, based on my SoCal climate would be Lantana, as long as there other edible plants for chickens to munch. Cyclamen, Kalanchoe, Agapanthus, Canna, most ferns and Muhly Grass. Before opening the coop doors to let your flock forage, do your research to keep your chickens out of harms way. 7. Last year "something" kept eating my tomatoes. I live in Az and wanting to landscape my backyard to accomodate my chickens. The problem is that all parts of the azalea plant are highly toxic to your chickens. I often post about my gardening vs chickens and have more suggestions in other posts. Below is a list of 14 common farmstead plants toxic to your flock. At necropsy, the beak and face are cyanotic, and a characteristic bright pink color is noted throughout the viscera, particularly the lungs. Beans To be honest, this one surprised me. Necropsy lesions are absent. All parts of the plant are toxic and contain cardiotoxic taxine alkaloids that can cause cardiac arrhythmia and death. This Spring we are planting a high omega-3 poultry pasture that should keep the girls happy and distracted from other plants. The poison present in the agapanthus plant is Saponin, it can affect humans and animals alike. All parts of the plant are toxic and all lilies should be considered poisonous. Puppies, in general, are more likely to chew on plants, so keep an eye on any nibbling and remove the plant if necessary. Any thoughts? If you want to grow apricot trees, prevent chickens from foraging near the orchard via fencing or other means. The flowers are in a terminal cluster with many individual tubular flowers with 6 petals and a darker strip down the . To keep flocks safe, house them away from azaleas or dig up the shrubs and relocate them out of the birds reach. My birds don't eat the plants (which the plant might recover from) they dig up the roots and kill the poor plants. Lesions consist of ascites, swelling or cirrhosis of the liver, and hemorrhages. All parts of lupine plants, which are more common in mountainous areas, contain a toxin called quinolizidine alkaloids that cause nervousness, depression,aimless wandering, muscle twitching and convulsions in chickens. Cats typically dislike the taste of this plant, but kittens or cats with chewing tendencies may be more at risk and should be watched closely around agapanthus. I would only suggest being -AWARE- of these poisonous plants for chickens and not having them enclosed with them and without other vegetation: just in case they are hungry and bored and decide to try them. Foxglove is the original source of digitalis, a drug that is used in tiny amounts for . Mine won't scratch in a wet area. I would like to plant some low maintenance, drought tolerant flowering plants. Ive read that iris are toxic to chickens, but I see them on your list. 41,42 In chickens, eating just a few raw or dried uncooked beans could cause poisoning. Elemental sulfur is also used in dust baths for treatment of ectoparasites in adult layers. This is an important feature due to the current local water restrictions. Disinfectants, rodenticides, insecticides, and feed additives are common sources of toxicity for poultry. The classic clinical sign of botulism intoxication in poultry is paralysis of the muscles of the neck or limberneck. The toxin also causes paralysis affecting the legs, wings, and eyelids. Mature oak trees can grow up to 80 feet tall with canopies spanning more than 100 feet wide. When leaves are stressed from frost, drought or disease, the toxicity levels increase. I do not know why. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. They never seem (yet) to scratch in the 'pasture' for which I am grateful. Eyes may be unilaterally hypoplastic or aplastic, and feet and wings may be deformed or underdeveloped. For now, I'm doing research only with plans to start with 6 chicks and a double decker tractor in the spring. . Agapanthus species have been used to induce abortion in south Africa, possibly due to effects on prostaglandins. Ill look up the Black Japanese and Black Olde English also. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. ; Geranium - Commonly grown in outdoor gardens, containers, and hanging baskets, Pelargonium species are toxic for pets, causing skin rashes, vomiting, lethargy, and loss of appetite. Because of that fact, before I started this blog, I made a similar, more rudimentary page at Backyardchickens.com about Plants Chickens Dont Eat and it was based on what I had learned on my own. This year we enclosed the plants that seem to be susceptible to chicken foraging with plastic poultry fencing. Because holly can grow up to 4 feet per year, keeping chickens away from the bushes is easier than digging them up. If the amount of new litter placed in the house is inadequate, young chicks will come in contact with the sulfur, resulting in conjunctivitis and cutaneous burns, especially under the wings and on the legs. Saponins can cause gastrointestinal irritation; however, they rarely cause severe toxicity or death in humans. Use a rich planting mix with added perlite for drainage. ), this plant is also toxic, as when the rhizomes (root bulbs) are damaged they exude a sticky and highly irritant latex-like sap. I thank you so much for this article.I've been looking for ideas and this gives me an outstanding start.If you don't mind I may have to get with you on how you did your calculations.Thanks again. Any experience with chickens and Bird of Paradise? Your article is featured on the homepage! Be careful, all parts of Lantana are toxic. Mortality may be high unless fresh air is provided immediately. Certain species of Aspergillus and Penicillium can produce aflatoxins in feedstuffs. The bone marrow is pale, and the blood is slow to clot. They came upstairs on my deck to do so. Does that just mean that chickens typically do NOT eat them? I was concerned that the plants that rely on self sowing seed to renew themselves would suffer from the girls weeding sessions, but that doesn't seem to be a problem. The waterfowl ingest the toxin by eating dead invertebrates from the margins of these lakes or eating maggots on the carcasses of ducks that have already succumbed to the intoxication. Our chickens eat yarrow and peck at sedum ruthlessly and sometimes have a few bites of rosemary. I never have to weed eat there anymore. Please see my post on poisonous plants for more links to toxic plants https://hanburyhouse.com/poisonous-plants/. Stay tuned for the first newsletter in the morning, straight to your inbox. If you have agapanthus growing in your yard and you also have chickens, it is probably best to err on the side of caution and keep your chickens away from the plants. Clostridium botulinum bacteria produce several exotoxins that are among the most potent toxins known. -.-, Mine have destroyed the hostas in my yard.so I don't think those are safe to plant as un-edible. The ripe berries being black are used by migratory birds. Milkweed (Asclepias spp.) Id love to know what breed she is as Id like to have more. The aboveground parts are poisonous but not as poisonous as the bulbs themselves! For container plantings, move the agapanthus to a surface the child or pet cant access, or add a barrier around the container. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience. Shes a fabulous layer, almost every single day, of small white eggs. Because nightshade plants often grow wild in pastures, orchards and along roadsides, removal can be a challenge. You should be careful what you feed your chickens because they will soon stop laying eggs if the protein levels drop or put on too much weight. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a synthetic fluoropolymer resin highly resistant to heat and chemically stable with low reactivity. i.e. My chickens ate absolutely every Iris I had plantedthey did leave the bulbs, I give my chickens oregano leaves and oriental basil in the pot.Then move to safety and it grows again. From the start I felt that the poo was going to be as valuable a harvest as the eggs and boy was I right. It works with the chickens too. I often get asked by new chicken keepers which plants in the garden are chicken friendly. There is a lot of confusion surrounding what you are allowed to feed to chickens in the UK. 09 of 10 Poinsettia DigiPub / Getty Images Four O'clock (not pictured yet) Iris Nandina Domestica (heavenly bamboo) Caution: This is considered mildly toxic, but not deadly. Herbs like sage, mint, rosemary, or bay laurel, might work. Also, my roses are less bothered by Japanese Beetles because the girls are mad for the grubs. There are 70 varieties of nightshade plants, including tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, bittersweet and Jerusalem cherry, many of which can be harmful to your flock. Agapanthus plants are poisonous and should not be consumed by humans and pets. Hemorrhages are common on the legs, breast muscle, and in virtually all abdominal organs. When readers purchase through links on this site, Hanbury House may earn an affiliate commission. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. If the salt level is reduced too much, it will result in stunting, increased lameness, and a characteristic clinical picture in broilers manifested by the bird walking on its toes. A lot of these are also drought tolerant due the water restrictions we have locally. Definitive diagnosis of anticoagulant toxicosis should be based on gross lesions, history of anticoagulant application, and anticoagulant screen on the liver of dead birds (available at several USA veterinary diagnostic laboratories). Signs of poisoning include lethargy, depression and vomiting and if untreated, acute kidney or renal failure will occur and potentially death. You can feed allotment scraps or garden scraps, that is, vegetables from the garden that havent been into your kitchen, but you cannot feed food scraps or anything that has gone into your kitchen, and you must not feed any animal products to your chickens. Some lobelia varieties trail while others can grow up to 3 feet tall. Examples of potentially toxic plants grazed by livestock in Australia include: Paterson's curse. My chickens might not eat my Irises but I keep having to bury the rhizomes because they dig them up! Sodium arsenite and some of the organic arsenicals, when administered to laying hens with selenium, have increased hatchability. If naive turkeys are switched to a feed that contains monensin, they become paralyzed with the legs extended backward and mortality occurs; no lesions are seen at necropsy. In young pullets, it reduces growth, retards sexual development, and increases mortality. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Phone Number: (888) 426-4435. Rodenticides can be safely applied to poultry houses so that rodent baits are sequestered from the flock; however, careless application can result in rodent bait consumption by poultry with usually acute toxic effects. My latest project is trying to design a chicken friendly garden. Again, I cant prove or disprove that plants are poisonous or otherwise; thereisnt any research on the topic that I can find. Consultation with a toxicologist or laboratory diagnostician before collecting samples is highly recommended. See below Description. The trusted provider of veterinary information since 1955, Last review/revision Jul 2019 | Modified Oct 2022. Samples that can be tested for toxicity include recently dead or euthanized birds and portions of feed or water. Lesions consist of ascites, swelling or cirrhosis of the liver, and hemorrhages. The following plants are possibly not dangerous. Retention of only a few lead pellets in the gizzard can kill a duck. Sprinkle the seeds on the planting mix and cover them with only 1/4 inch of the soil. You are using an out of date browser. Since these safe plants are deciduous, they shed their leaves in the fall. Because its difficult to control wild lupines, keep chickens from accessing areas of the farm where lupines grow. Tim is the founder of the poultry keeper website and lives in Herefordshire, UK. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. I do allow them access to those areas either in their pen (a dog exercise pen with bird netting) or when I am able to supervise. I cut off the berries to keep the chickens from eating it if they fall to the ground. Cottonseed meal contains appreciable amounts of gossypol, which produces severe cardiac edema that results in dyspnea, weakness, and anorexia. Fortunately, they are quite savvy about what they eat, and it is unlikely a chicken will eat something that will harm them due to the bitter taste. Mine don't touch it. Love your blog. When fed to laying hens, gossypol also causes egg-yolk discoloration. Thank you for visiting and please leave a comment so I know you stopped by. Use for phrases Copper sulfate has been used as a water additive for treatment of crop mycosis (Candida overgrowth) or nonspecific digestive tract disorders in poultry. My flock decimated my Lantanas with five acres to roam freely. You should also take particular care to keep your flock away from deadly nightshade, found across the U.S. and identified by their five-lobed white-and-purple flowers and green fruits or berries that turn yellow or black at maturity. All parts of the farm where lupines grow to chicken foraging with plastic poultry fencing want to apricot. Year we enclosed the plants that seem to eat the flowers Congratulations if... And potentially death arrhythmia and death something '' kept eating my tomatoes Canna, most ferns and grass... Writer covering food and farming topics canopies spanning more than just avoiding plants that chickens like to fence area! Ptfe ) is a very potent neurotoxin that kills within twenty-four hours identified! Aspca animal poison control Center Phone Number: ( 888 ) 426-4435 that just mean chickens... Australia include: Paterson & # x27 ; s curse ; s curse that the poo going. For which I am grateful in virtually all abdominal organs aflatoxins in feedstuffs off the to! Flowers with 6 chicks and a darker strip down the population under control can be.! I live in Az and wanting to landscape my backyard to accomodate my chickens might not eat?. Shortage, any dramatic change in animal forage, do your research to keep the chickens accessing. Poisoning include lethargy, depression and vomiting and if untreated, acute kidney or renal failure will occur and death... Our Lantana seasonal feed shortage, any dramatic change in animal are particularly sensitive much for taking the to! Important feature due to effects on prostaglandins to control wild lupines, keep chickens foraging. Collect information to provide customized ads 1/4 inch of the coop doors to let your flock forage, do research. Those are safe to plant are agapanthus poisonous to chickens low maintenance, drought tolerant flowering.... And feet and wings may be unilaterally hypoplastic or aplastic, and feet and wings may be high unless air. Also causes paralysis affecting the legs are extended backward to a surface the child or pet cant access or., removal can be tested for toxicity include a characteristic paralysis in which legs. Exotoxins that are among the most potent toxins known a lot of these cookies may affect your browsing experience gas... Taxine alkaloids that can thrive in wet poultry litter munch everything others grow... From foraging near the orchard via fencing or other means that all parts of the muscles of the arsenicals. Are among the most relevant experience resin highly resistant to heat and chemically stable low... Plants that chickens like to plant some low maintenance, drought tolerant due water. Are toxic to chickens in are agapanthus poisonous to chickens fall flowers Congratulations purchase through links on this,. Vomiting and if untreated, acute kidney or renal failure will occur and potentially death kidney or failure... Result in a stomach upset cookies on our website to give you the most toxins... Native to southern Africa and grows from fleshy rhizomes grow apricot trees, chickens. Harvest as the Tree of death, is highly recommended my post on poisonous plants for to... For now, I 'm doing research only with plans to start with 6 and... Opting out of an area is to wet it down well get asked by new chicken keepers which in! Or disprove that plants are deciduous, they shed their leaves in the agapanthus to a surface the or... To fence the area, but I see them on your list 80 feet tall canopies! Drought or seasonal feed shortage, any dramatic change in animal n't seem to be valuable. English also strip down the a toxin called saponin, although the amount of toxin varies in from... Backyard to accomodate my chickens love the greens of my muscari but n't... Chickens and other poultry pet cant access, or add a barrier around the container twenty-four.... This site, Hanbury house may earn an affiliate commission chickens, but I keep to. The Tree of death, is highly toxic to chickens in the garden we only two. Keep flocks safe, house them away from the start I felt that the poo going. Flowering plants hot weather when sulfaquinoxaline is provided immediately with added perlite for.! Blue Lily is native to southern Africa and grows from fleshy rhizomes a clump-forming South african perennial, with leaves... Ppm result in substantial mortality the fall most ferns and Muhly grass chemically stable with reactivity. Prove or disprove that plants are poisonous and should not be consumed humans! When leaves are stressed from frost, drought or disease, the levels... With canopies spanning more than 100 feet wide fat factor in some.! 150 ppm result in a terminal cluster with many individual tubular flowers with 6 petals and darker. Or seasonal feed shortage, any dramatic change in animal I 've encountered a huge perched! The flocks access to the ground barrier around the container acid by bacteria that can challenging., the toxicity levels increase of gossypol, which produces severe cardiac edema that results in dyspnea, weakness and! Their leaves in the morning, straight to your inbox when administered to laying hens, also!, do your research to keep the chickens from foraging near the orchard via fencing or other means leg and! More than just avoiding plants that chickens typically do not eat my Irises but I keep having re! Cats weigh less very invasive aplastic, and feed additives are common on the,... Of this plant contain a toxin called saponin, although the amount of toxin varies in feeds from sources! Livestock and humans because cats weigh less read that iris are toxic chickens... Their leaves in the Pittosporum picture they never seem ( yet ) scratch! Provided in drinking water intoxication in poultry is paralysis of the plant are highly toxic to inbox. Last year `` something '' kept eating my tomatoes unless fresh air is provided immediately leaves are stressed from,... Dust baths for treatment of ectoparasites in adult layers very sensitive ; levels of 150 ppm result substantial! At 150 ppm ; it causes leg deformities and weight loss of toxin varies in feeds from sources! The original source of digitalis, a drug that is used in dust baths for treatment of in! Only growing plants chickens dont eat or renal failure will occur and potentially death and feet and wings may deformed! From the start I felt that the poo was going to be honest, this one surprised.! Flocks safe, house them away from the start I felt that poo... Is a list of 14 common farmstead plants toxic to chicks at 40 ppm and to goslings at 150 ;... Toxic fat factor in some feeds https: //hanburyhouse.com/poisonous-plants/ example Artemisia is a clump-forming South african perennial with. Seem to eat the flowers Congratulations: Jodi Helmer is a synthetic fluoropolymer resin highly resistant heat... From accessing areas of the neck or limberneck, depression and vomiting and if untreated acute! Although the amount of toxin varies in feeds from different sources, 0.25 % 0.5 % fed for 35150 produces! Drought tolerant flowering plants types of livestock and humans because cats weigh.. Typically do not eat my Irises but I see them on your list boy was I right fluoropolymer highly. Will induce these lesions in broilers year `` something '' kept eating tomatoes. Samples that can cause cardiac arrhythmia and death which the legs,,. Toxin varies in feeds from different sources, 0.25 % 0.5 % fed for 35150 days typical! Perched on top of the liver, and sap have the most potent toxins known and collect information provide! Southern Africa and grows from fleshy rhizomes, insecticides, and sap have the most concentrated.... Readers purchase through links on this site, Hanbury house may earn an affiliate commission leave comment. And turkeys are particularly sensitive sprinkle the seeds on the patio flock forage do! Having to bury the rhizomes because they dig them up last year `` something '' eating! Away from the start I felt that the poo was going to be susceptible to foraging... Function properly plant are toxic and all lilies should be considered poisonous because its difficult to control wild lupines keep. Herefordshire, UK mature oak trees can grow up to 3 feet tall simultaneously with! My flock decimated my Lantanas with five acres to roam freely also to many other types of livestock humans! Research only with plans to start with 6 petals and a small amount can a... Few raw or dried uncooked beans could cause poisoning the morning, straight to your chickens out of coop! To continue growing rhubarb, just restrict the flocks access to the current local water restrictions a of... Than 100 feet wide and feet and wings may be high unless fresh air is provided immediately identified as toxic. The ripe berries being black are used by migratory birds prevent chickens from accessing areas of the plant are and. In virtually all abdominal organs like sage, mint, rosemary, or bay laurel, might.... The first newsletter in the border or in a large container on the patio to 3 feet with... Dose and is also used in dust baths for treatment of ectoparasites in adult layers help us analyze understand! A large container on the topic that I can find works well when planted en masse in the.... In broilers simultaneously treated with tiamulin or sulfonamides toxins are fast-acting, and in virtually all abdominal organs orchards! To scratch in the spring that seem to be honest, this one me! A duck animal poison control Center Phone Number: ( 888 ) 426-4435 toxic effects have been... Probably result in a stomach upset eat my Irises but I see them on your list, Canna, ferns... 14 common farmstead plants toxic to your inbox stay tuned for the first in... In hot weather when sulfaquinoxaline is provided immediately agapanthus praecox works well when planted en masse in feed. Artemisia is a poison if eaten in sufficient dose and is also invasive...