# Chickens walked in poison ivy?



## Wyandotter (Dec 13, 2015)

I let my chickens free range today in about an acre of fenced land. There's some area of my yard though that has a lot of plants in it and some of which sort of look like poison ivy and sumac & oak. The reason I'm worried about this is not only because it could irritate my chickens legs it's also that it would have gotten on there feathers too and I picked up a few of my chickens held them and wiped my eyes.

Here's some pictures. Do anybody know I these are poison oak, ivy or sumac? The 3 plants are common around here. :/

Poison ivy or oak?








This one is really small even tho it doesn't look like it (I took a close up of it). Is this plant poison ivy or something else? It has little or not red on it at all.








And this...








And is this Virginia creeper or something else?


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

None of the listed. The poison ivy, oak or sumac 
won't hurt your chickens,but they can carry their irritating oils back to you if you pick them up.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Poison ivy only has 3 leaves. Your last pix looks line Virginia Creeper.


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## Wyandotter (Dec 13, 2015)

Thank you for your response!


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## Wyandotter (Dec 13, 2015)

I found another plant which really does look like poison oak to me. My family doesn't believe me and so they touched it to somehow prove to me it's not poison oak.
What do you think?


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Could be. See if you can find a picture on the web to compare it to.


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## Wyandotter (Dec 13, 2015)

Ok. I looked it up and found this. 
Internet pic-







My pic-







There seems to be a slight difference in the ripples of the leaves and a color difference but I'm not sure I its just how I see it do u see these differences to or is it just me? Thanks in advance.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Yes, but the Web picture looks like a younger leaf. Look at your pic in the upper right corner. Looks the same...


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## Wyandotter (Dec 13, 2015)

Thanks for your help! 
I guess I should be ready for a rash in a few days. :/


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Always wash asap when exposed with cold water. Warm or hot water will spread the oils that cause the rash. I'm not allergic the any of it and have never reacted to it.


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## Wyandotter (Dec 13, 2015)

Ok I will do that. You've been exposed to it but no rash reaction? I got poison ivy all over my leg last year and it never got a rash, I never really thought about it afterwards...


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

No, I've never reacted to it. I don't pull it up with bare the most of the time if I recognize it, but I have done so without any rash. I try not to tempt fate though.


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## Wyandotter (Dec 13, 2015)

Oh. Thanks for your help, I'm going to keep my chickens and my self away from the plants from now on.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

I brushed up against some poison ivy years ago. It started on my ankle and gradually creeped up my left leg towards my private area. I used a fork to scratch. Of course it got infected but the scratching felt good. I was in a real mess and itching terribly. I had some calamine lotion but it didnt help.
The problem was that I couldnt go to any doctor or hospital because everyone in the area had evacuated inland away from the coast due to hurricane Floyd. Everything was shutdown! MY LUCK. 
After 4 days of scratching torture and little sleep, I finally got a doctors appointment. I got a bunch of pills to take; anti itching pills, antibiotics and a powerful steroid. The doc told me it would clear up in 24 hours and sure enough it did. I was so relieved afterwards, whew!


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## Wyandotter (Dec 13, 2015)

Thanks everyone! I also have another question my chicken Doris needs antibiotic and we have left over Ceohalexin from my dogs meds can I give it to my chicken if so how much (it's in capsules)


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## Hencackle (Apr 30, 2014)

If you're wearing shorts or short sleeves, the oil from poison ivy (urushiol) can be transferred from the chickens' feathers or feet to you. Speaking from experience...Even gotten it from my LGD and goats.

My first rash involved several repeated exposures in addition to mosquito bites and it didn't help matters that I had dug holes from scratching. My skin on the front of my thighs looked leathery. It took over a month to resolve. Until this episode, I had never had broken out before and I thought I wasn't allergic. A few of the lap chickens that had been sitting on my lap showed me that I was in the unlucky majority of the population.

Some people react quickly; or it may take 3-4 days for the rash to appear. I have the delayed reaction, usually waking up at 3 or 4 am with an itch. If it's a small spot, about the size of a pencil eraser or less, I grab a piece of tape--Scotch, skin tape--and place over the spot. It keeps clothing or bedsheets from rubbing against it, causing that maddening itch. Larger spots usually get coated with a heavy coat of Calamine, covered with a piece of paper towel and taped into place. Resist the urge to scratch. It feels good for a while but the healing takes longer.

If there's jewelweed growing nearby, the sap can be rubbed onto a rash. IvaRest spray helps calm the itch too. Your health food store may stock http://www.naturespoisonivyrelief.com/www.naturespoisonivyrelief.com/

Maybe this info will help prevent misery for somebody.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I got poison ivy so bad I had to seek medical attention.It started on my ankles on Fri but by Sat afternoon it had spread on both legs up to my crotch.It was hot and I was miserable.I was prescribed steroids which did held tremendously in less than 24 hours.Since then I get a little here and there but it doesn't spread,knock on wood.Dale on the other hand,never gets it.It ain't fair!!!


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## Wyandotter (Dec 13, 2015)

I think I might be immune to poison ivy too :/ My chickens walked through the a bunch of it a few days ago and I looked in my chickens coop and one of my chickens brushed against my face. Also I walked through a bunch of poison ivy last year and nothing happened...


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