wild plants piggies can eat?

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poppylily

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hi! since being on this forum my piggies have been getting a lot more leafy stuff as I just didn't know that leafiness should be a good chunk of their daily veges. I've been doing lots of foraging, but my list of plants that I can collect is rather limited as I'm unsure whats safe. I have a large garden thats mainly weeds so there should be something tasty out there!
There's particularly lots of cleavers (sticky weed) and I've heard they can eat this but not sure? also loads of hazel (I know they can gnaw the branches, but can they eat the leaves?) plum and beech. also loads of rosehips, leaves and flowers, hawthorn and bramble and wild marigold.
please let me know if these are safe for piggies, or you know any other (easily idendifiable!) plants that they can have.
:)
 
sorry not sure of the above, but they can have meadow rue, clover ( in small amounts) and of course dandelionns, which makes them wee a lot ,so again not too often. you could i am sure look up suitable plants for them on the internet that shows pictures
 
thank you both- excellent website! I've tried using the interweb before but different website say different things, like that beech is safe but the website above says its not mallethead
plenty of white clovers and meadow rue and they can eat out strawberry leaves so thank you :D
 
I've just spotted on that list that Oak is poisonous, about 6 weeks ago I gave my guineas an oak tree leaf, about 6 times. Have I just been lucky?
Eeeeek. mallethead
 
Shalom said:
I've just spotted on that list that Oak is poisonous, about 6 weeks ago I gave my guineas an oak tree leaf, about 6 times. Have I just been lucky?
Eeeeek. mallethead
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No - it usually takes quite a portion and/or regular feeding with most "bad" plants, one of the exceptions being foxglove - that is VERY poisonous.

The odd oak leaf won't harm your piggies, and neither will the odd daisy or one stalk of creeping buttercup. Only if they eat a lot or eat it regularly when out on the lawn.
 
Re: bramble leaves - just the young tips so save this for Spring.
Apple leaves, again the best are the fresh young ones.
Groundsel - they love it and it's full of good stuff, just make sure you're good at identifying weeds, a friend of mine thought my groundsel was ragwort ( avoid at all costs as I'm sure you know) so I wouldn't trust her to forage for me if she can't tell the difference between the two! :{
Plantains, broad-leaved and long leaved - piggies love them and again, full of good stuff.
Chickweed - ok as the occasional snack but not that much nutritional value apparently.
Cleavers/goose grass/ sticky willy ( how many names does this weed have?!) is okay for them but I found mine would only eat a few and then only the young shoots.
Clover ( white, not red) but not too much.
 
i have spotted it says on that site "parsley, large amounts recommended for pregnant sows", i thought it could bring on miscarriage, or am i wrong?
 
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