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

 

[krogen]

The fact that plastic can cross the blood brain barrier freaks me out.

I’ve listened to a podcast recently from a well known scientist, Andrew Huberman, in which he outlines ways you can reduce the amount of plastic getting inside the body.

I’m keeping my chickens away from plastic. If it passes into an egg, it passes into me.

 

[Birdinhand]

Trying to quantify the effect of micro plastics is very very difficult, there are so many uncertainties. I feed only organic feed to avoid bio-accumulation of toxins. I eat mostly grass fed, free range and or organic meat because most of our exposure comes from meat and dairy. Seems to me it’s worth considering your sources of plastic ingestion by chickens but I wouldn’t go over the top with it. If you go to buy a new waterer and a stainless steel option is available, yay. Gradually over time choosing the non plastic version of feeder etc is probably worth it… making sure they don’t have access to styrofoam etc, sure, common sense. We use plastics to eat off of for outdoor dinners but not the majority of our dinners, we use glass lock containers for fridge leftovers, they have glass on the bottom where the food comes in direct contact, but plastic lids… we are not puritanical but figure why not do what makes sense as you go to reduce exposure even though you can’t eliminate it… plastics contain bio-mimicking compounds that can alter metabolism at extremely low doses, possibly even effect gender differentiation. I’m reminded of how small amounts of these chemicals can have significant impacts… birth control chemicals taken by women leache through septic systems from their urine, ending up in high enough concentrations to interrupt the replication of fish in some streams. No need to freak out, but no need to keep your head in the sand either. Between the opposites lies the path!

 

[Al Gerhart]

I looked at the science a bit tonight to educate myself and most reputable sources state that there isn't a lot of credible data yet. Lots of pleas for funding making some wild claims which seem to be more about pushing an anti plastic/anti oil/ greenie agenda. Nothing wrong with being green and sustainable, I have a cabinet shop with no dumpster, the majority of scrap wood, cardboard, plastic, Styrofoam, and metal gets recycled, I'll lug home a trash bag full of what can't be recycled once a week that goes in my home garbage bin.

I think we should go back in time a twenty thousand years and see what our ancestors thought about the risks of new technology.

Urggh Says Rock Tools Not Guwd

Dateline T rex bones cavern---

Urggh says new rock tools no good. Make head hurt. Sand and chips from shaping hand ax hurt feet in cave if not cleaned up. Grit from polishing spear head get in mamooth hide undies and cause itch. Mrs Urggh make Urggh wash in stream before sexy time or itch her too. Mrs Urggh no like new rock tools either, stub toe on big rock Urggh left on floor. Hit Urggh on head with rock while angry. Urggh no like extra time spent cleaning up sand and chips and keeping work area of cave tidy. No like hit on head. Says old ways of wooden spear better.

Tribal elders say many shells and much mamooth meat needed to fund study before elders vote on using new rock tools.

Rah, old wood spear maker, no like new stone tool either. Old ways guwd he say, wood spear, mamooth penis bone club, use rock like Thrawl intended, throw with arm. Hold in fist and hit. Make stone tools, maybe Thrawl angry, he send plague, stop rain or sun or bring neathanderals eat human flesh. Best to sacrifice Urggh to appease Thrawl next big moon.