Chicken swallowed a quarter!

[wwdubose]

I was cleaning out the poop tray at lunch today. While pulling my phone out of my pocket to answer a call, a quarter fell onto the coop floor. Before I knew it had even fallen out of my pocket, I see one of my Buff Orpingtons running off with it in its beak, trying to keep it away from the other girls. By the time I got to her, she was out in the run, but the quarter was no longer in her beak. I searched the area, but found no quarter.

Question is, assuming she swallowed the quarter, is this a death sentence? Will something of this size that is not digestible, pass? Is there any options other than just waiting and monitoring?

 

[Granny Hatchet]

hey, when i was little i did too!.lol kidding aside, feel in her crop for it. its hard to imagine she ate it.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

no metal detector around anywhere is there?

 

[wwdubose]

Hmm, as a matter of fact, I do! Will scan all three buffs this evening. Stay tuned!

But...what if she did swallow the quater? What are my options. if any?

 

[MyPetNugget]

You could try a magnet.

 

[wwdubose]

magnet will not work as US coins are non-ferrous.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

well, did you get rich last night?

 

[spikennipper]

Keep an eye, she may not have swallowed it, as long as she is looking and behaving the same she should be fine, she could pass it too if she did swallow it so keep an eye on the poop!

 

[realsis]

Did you ever figure out if she ate the quarter or not? Please update?

 

[wwdubose]

I checked each one of the buff orpingtons with the metal detector. I first verified that the metal detector would detect a quarter by passing it within an inch or two of the detector. I then passed each hens neck, chest, and underside over the detector. It did not detect anything. Will keep monitoring and attempt to locate the quarter in the run with the detector. One of them was making a coughing/squeaking sound while eating its scratch yesterday, but no metal was detected.