chicks swallowing big things normal?

[hoping4better]

Yesterday I got a bit of a fright. As usual I heard a racket and flapping wings which is typically just the fact that one of them had found a curious piece of straw and was playing keep away. This is a regular occurance and occasionally another bird will grab it and run amock until they all lose interest after a few minutes. Well, after a couple minutes ofthe racket I went to see what was going on and noticed an orange fluff coming out from the sides of one of their beaks. Apparently, he was it and had no intentions of letting IT go. My kids had thrown an orange dyed feather in the brooder and after some running this one decided to SWALLOW it. It was about 3 and a half or 4 inches long and had nearly been completely swallowed sharp end first. I managed to get the bird and VERY SLOWLY remove the feather from him. Today he seems just fine. So, this normal??? I couldn't imagine that feather not killing my poor little birdie.

Anyone have any experience with this, or is this just a bird I'll have to watch as he grows?

 

[Chick CJ]

Well I'm not sure about the dye in the feather or the size of it, but eating feathers is something all chickens do so it was probably just a natural reaction for the chick. If it seems fine it probably is. As they grow and have opportunity you will see them eat all kinds of interesting large things like lizards, frogs or mice! It is scary and fascinating the first time you see one swallow a whole lizard but that is what chickens do. I would be careful of what gets dropped in the brooder but other than that your probably okay!
CJ

 

[Chickenkate17]

When I first let my babies out they would "choke" on things all the time and I was worried about them. Someone told me that they'll either eventually eat it down, or one of the other chicks will pull it out...they turned out fine

 

[Saroco]

I had a chick try to eat a stick about that long...

 

[BeccaB00]

This is normal. I see my chicks eat their own fluff!

If your chick seems fine, he probably is. My chicks used to catch BEES. Yes BEES. I used to FREAK, and chase them all around the yard trying to get the bee out of their mouth before they got stung! I also see my chickens eat extremely long peices of grass, which is'nt very good..but they were fine.

 

[Chicken.Lytle]

I had a scare with my rooster trying to eat something bigger than his head. Naturally, I tried it again a few days later.

 

[hoping4better]

I guess this is all a bit more comforting knowing that for the most part they'll take care of themselves. Still makes me nervous though. I guess I'll just have to watch my kids and the brooder a little more closely.