can chickens get hardware disease or is it just a duck & goose thing?

[Jenbirdee]

can chickens get hardware disease or is it just a duck & goose thing?
Are chickens more or less likely than ducks to eat a tiny silver screw that I dropped and then couldnt find???

 

[Sally PB]

Oh, they certainly can get hardware disease! (Eating a piece of metal, often some hardware. This can kill them if the item gets lodged in their digestive track somewhere.) Metal is shiny, and chickens often peck at shiny object.

When I do anything in or near the run that involves staples or screws, I take a magnet with me. If I drop something, all work stops until I find it. Get a good magnet and see if you can pick up the screw. I'm assuming it's silver in color, and not the metal silver...?

 

[Jenbirdee]

Oh, they certainly can get hardware disease! (Eating a piece of metal, often some hardware. This can kill them if the item gets lodged in their digestive track somewhere.) Metal is shiny, and chickens often peck at shiny object.

When I do anything in or near the run that involves staples or screws, I take a magnet with me. If I drop something, all work stops until I find it. Get a good magnet and see if you can pick up the screw. I'm assuming it's silver in color, and not the metal silver...?

yes just silver color , thanks Ill use a magnet

 

[Sally PB]

Go to a hardware store and get a magnetic parts tray. I have one that I take with my when I work in the coop/run. The magnet is STRONG.

 

[Jenbirdee]

Go to a hardware store and get a magnetic parts tray. I have one that I take with my when I work in the coop/run. The magnet is STRONG.

I got one and then tested it with another of the same kind of screw and apparently my screws are not real metal cuz they dont even stick to it at all! I tried other things on the tray and it works great but just not for the screws then i went out and with my hands I sifted through a lot of fine straw bedding and finally found it YAY!!
but so why is stainless steel not attracted to magnets?

 

[aart]

but so why is stainless steel not attracted to magnets?

Same reason they don't rust, very low to no iron content.

 

[Sally PB]

i went out and with my hands I sifted through a lot of fine straw bedding and finally found it YAY!!

Yay! I'm glad you found it.