Anyone else worried about microplastics in their chickens?

[Toad9000]

I am highly skeptical of this entire micro plastic business. How will plastic fragments pass the molecular boundary in digestive systems? Bodies absorb molecules, atoms bound together, not large chunks(compared to molecules) of plastic during digestion.

Ditto once in the blood system, how would the plastic get out of the blood without being molecule size?

Asbestos comes in the form of macro-particles that you could eat a pint full of and probably not metabolize any. Doesn't make it good for you. Neither is lead or mercury (even if they aren't the same "large chunks" we're talking about). But all 3 were once considered mundane and safe. Just like the tar in cigarettes which contains long chain hydrocarbons remarkably similar to many of the synthetic polymers in wide spread use today.

I'm by no means an alarmist, but I strongly suspect that in 50-100 years our kids and grandkids will be laughing at how much plastic we consumed just like we laugh at asbestos filtered cigarettes now.

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

That sounds like something not worth stressing over. I see where you are coming from, I avoid plastic myself! But they are built to handle all sorts of stuff. I would worry more about giving them good food, fresh water, and a safe home.

 

[Possum-Pie]

Ok, I challenge all those who are worried about microplastics. Don't purchase anything packaged in plastic. Don't purchase anything manufactured using plastic in the process. Don't store food/drink in any plastic container. Don't ride in vehicles with plastic components, don't enter any dwelling with plastic inside. Don't hold cellphones made with plastics up to your mouth, don't use laptops/pc made with plastic components. You may breathe in the microplastics or ingest them. In that case, you will be (partially) avoiding microplastics (they are in our air so don't breathe?). There is a possibility that an asteroid may impact the Earth, wiping out all of civilization, but if I can't prevent it, I don't stress it.

 

[Toad9000]

Ok, I challenge all those who are worried about microplastics. Don't purchase anything packaged in plastic. Don't purchase anything manufactured using plastic in the process. Don't store food/drink in any plastic container. Don't ride in vehicles with plastic components, don't enter any dwelling with plastic inside. Don't hold cellphones made with plastics up to your mouth, don't use laptops/pc made with plastic components. You may breathe in the microplastics or ingest them. In that case, you will be (partially) avoiding microplastics (they are in our air so don't breathe?). There is a possibility that an asteroid may impact the Earth, wiping out all of civilization, but if I can't prevent it, I don't stress it.

I don't think anyone in this thread is advocating flipping your lid over plastics, or even to worry about it. And even if they were, your point about how difficult it is to avoid plastics only helps their case. Just because we live in a world where there's junk plastic everywhere from floating in low Earth orbit down to resting at the bottom of the Mariana Trench doesn't mean you can't or shouldn't make a reasonable, proportionate effort at minimizing your (or your chicken's, I guess) exposure.

 

[saysfaa]

Ok, I challenge all those who are worried about microplastics....

Not being able to do everything doesn't mean doing something is meaningless.

I see it as similar to all other aspects of living better.

The first step of a first walk won't prevent a heart attack. But a person doesn't get to a healthy exercise routine without that first step. (Well, you could swim or something instead but all analogies break down at some point).

Doing better in any area (health, finances, career, relationships, etc) usually results in doing better in all the other areas too.

if I can't prevent it, I don't stress it.

You can't prevent it. I can't prevent it. Enough of us together may significantly lower the damage. If we can't, I still think the steps I've taken so far were worth doing for effect on all the other areas of my life.

A stainless steel chicken feeder instead of a plastic one is meaningless on a global scale. On an individual scale, it cost less, worked better, and lasted longer for me.....and I get to know I did what I could about microplastics. All wins with no downside.

 

[tripletfeb]

I'm not worried about microplastics in my chickens but I do think about it for myself and my family. I've switched our leftover containers to glass, switched my iced tea pitchers to glass, and get my raw milk in glass gallon jars. We also buy spring water, straight from the spring and store it in glass jars. But we also use and store plastic water bottles, it's more convenient sometimes. Most of our drinking cups are plastic, just because they fit in our cupboard better, and my son is a clutz so no broken glass if he were to spill. We do what we can but aren't perfect