# will rhododendron hurt my goats?



## craftbug1021

Have a 30 year old rhododendron in my back yard, its 9 ft tall. I am getting 2 baby fainting goats. I have read that they are poisonous for goats. Since they are small I am thinking to wrap the bottom of it in chicken wire. Any idea's as to how to keep the leaves away, if I have to I will fence the whole area off.


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## mama24

If it's poisonous to them, they'll probably leave it alone. Maybe taste it once and make bad faces and leave it alone after that.


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## Pearce Pastures

Yes, Rhododendron AKA Azalea, is toxic, and unfortunately goats and sheep actually do not mind the taste (mama is right that some animals won't eat toxic plants due to their bad taste but this is not one of those).  Link to some more info on them and a nice site to find info on other plants as well  http://www.aspca.org/Pet-care/poison-control/Plants/rhododendron.aspx


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## aggieterpkatie

Yes, it is definitely poisonous so fence that whole area out. Do not rely on the animal's instincts to tell them not to eat it.  They WILL eat it, and they will get sick or die.  Our first lambs ate a good bit of Mountain Laurel (a relative of Rhododendron) even though they were in a yard full of grass, and they almost died.  DO NOT let them near it.


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## vermillionoaks

Our first two goats almost died from eating dried azalea leaves.  We had cut them down because we were getting our goats and put them in the burn pile.  Well, we didn't get around to burning the pile and forgot they were in there.  We took our goats on a walk and they ate some!  We were able to save them because we noticed and reacted quickly but it took $400 in vet bills.  I was told by breeders I have talked to that the goats do know they are poisonous if they were taught by their moms.  One breeder had some in her yard for years and the goats never touched them.... until she bought a bottle baby.  The kid got sick twice from it before the lady cut the bush down!  If they were not raised to know it they will eat it... multiple times!  They don't always learn!  I would play it safe and make sure you have a decent buffer around the plant so they can't get old leaves and flower petals, either.


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## Queen Mum

Rhodies are poisonous and they taste good to goats.  A couple of my goats ate them ALL the time and they would get sick over and over.  It was a never ending cycle of vomiting goats where I lived.  We had 100 Rhodies on the property.  (The landlord insisted that the Rhodies had to stay.)  

They don't always kill the goat, but they will cause intestinal illness with serious vomiting.  

If you want to discourage the goats from eating them, soak fresh goat manure in water for 24 hours.  Strain the manure out and spray the resulting solution on to the plants.   Re-apply weekly or after it rains.   BTW, Poo tea encourages the growth of the rhodies and other surrounding foliage.  It works on roses and other plants as well.  The goats will not eat the plants if they taste like goat poop.  

If you start this regimen with your new goats they will "discover" that the rhodies taste bad and will generally leave them alone.  Add to that regimen a brisk hosing with a cold garden hose when they approach the rhodie and it is sure to discourage any eating of the offending poisonous plants.


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## AdoptAPitBull

I had a $300+ emergency vet bill after one of the goats got out and ate some. She's fine now, but that is an experience you don't want to go through!


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## mama24

Oh wow! I'm so sorry I was wrong! Sounds scary! Are there any other plants that are toxic that the goats will eat anyway? My goats have tried things I knew to be toxic in front of me, but they made terrible faces for quite some time and never went near them again!


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## craftbug1021

Thank you all sooo much!!! will be fencing off that area!


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## jodief100

mama24 said:
			
		

> Oh wow! I'm so sorry I was wrong! Sounds scary! Are there any other plants that are toxic that the goats will eat anyway? My goats have tried things I knew to be toxic in front of me, but they made terrible faces for quite some time and never went near them again!


Japanese yew.  They like it and it will kill them.


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## rossranch

A littlle late to the party, but 3 days ago our goats ate most of the leaves off the bottom of a large Rhododendron. Never got sick, not even a little. They continued the day as usual. They are usually fenced out of this area that our dog uses to get to the back yard. I let the goats into the back yard to play while i worked on the pen. Guess the gate was not latched properly, anyway they opened it. Guess  it is like most toxic plants, depends on quantity. Our animals eat all kind of thing that are on the toxic plant list. Acorns, leaves from various trees including the cherry and red maple (soft maple). We have or have had alpaca, llama, goat and horses.


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