Chickens eating lead-based paint chips from house.

[eggxentric]

Has any one addressed urban chickens and the potential for eating lead-based paint that chips off from pre-1978 homes. I have built a cold frame using old windows (why I didn't sand the windows before I built.....aghhh) and some of the paint chips have flaked off to the ground. Part of my chicken paddock includes this cold frame. Does anyone know what will be needed to de-tox the ground surrounding my cold frame?
( Suffice it to say that I will be removing the windows, refinishing them non-toxically and replacing.)

 

[Judy]

No idea. They use chelating agents in people, which attach to, or absorb, the lead, so it passes through. Guess I'd just get all the chips up I could, which I'm sure you have, and hope.

 

[backyardigans]

I don't have a solution but I just wanted to mention that I share the same problem with our 1926 house. The garage part still has old paint that is flaking off. We need to sand and repaint the whole garage but the job just seems overwhelmingly large. I've been sweeping of the chips as soon as I see them.

 

[JLMom]

I know that you can get your soil lead-tested. I had my done by sending a sample to my local University farm extension. Most Universities that were originally "land-grant' colleges have them. It only cost about $12 I think.
Good luck.
(PM me if you have questions; my son was mildly lead poisoned as a baby and I still remember quite a bit of info

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