Discovered our 4 month old chicks are eating potting soil out of our pots. Is this safe for them?

[SuburbChickens]

We discovered that our 4 month old chicks have been eating out of pots that have potting soil in them with old roots for a few days - the plants died and were thrown away but they are eating the soil. Is the potting soil safe for them to digest?

 

[donrae]

Should be. I've had to call Poison Control about humans ingesting Miracle Grow in the past and they told me it's harmless. I can't imagine there's anything else there that would damage a bird.

 

[junebuggena]

Do you have grit available to them? That may be why they are eating the dirt.

 

[SuburbChickens]

I do have a bowl of grit for them sitting out by the door of the coop and also have a bowl of oyster shell. I have seen one of the chicks eating a little bit of the grit, but they keep coming back to the pots constantly, like the potting soil is candy to them or something. I also have plenty of food and water out and see all 3 of my chickens eating and drinking from those as they should. Our 7 month old hen is now eating out of the pots too, so I thought I would double check before I try to place the pots somewhere else - right now they are around my patio and down low. I guess I won't worry about moving them if it's alright, although they are starting to make quite a mess. Also, I plan to have flowers or herbs in them again once our hot months are over.

 

[donrae]

I put large pretty rocks in my pots to deter the chickens from tearing them up. Or, I'll plant bulbs or whatever and lay a screen of chicken wire over to keep the birds from scratching or eating. In my case, it's also to keep the cats out---cat poop is so gross

.

but that's all more for my sake than the safety of the birds.

 

[Kev]

Should be. I've had to call Poison Control about humans ingesting Miracle Grow in the past and they told me it's harmless. I can't imagine there's anything else there that would damage a bird.

This made me laugh, thanks!

 

[donrae]

Kev, I didn't know if I wanted to laugh or cry. I was the charge nurse at a nursing home and one patient loved to eat fish. Her husband brought in what he thought was a bottle of lemon juice to sprinkle on it. They used probably half that bottle before one of the CNAs realized it was the concentrated Miracle Grow, in a nice pretty lemon yellow bottle

Poison Control got a good laugh out of that one

but they said they get calls all the time from toddlers eating the stuff and it's benign.

 

[Ulladh]

Are they definitely eating it or just pecking? My birds seem to just love pecking around where they dust bath, but dont think theyre actually swallowing it

 

[SuburbChickens]

They were definitely eating the dirt besides making quite a mess of it too, so I picked up the pots and placed them elsewhere yesterday. They don't seem to be looking for them at all or trying to each the dirt in the ground - just pecking at bugs and oats/mealworms mix that I sprinkled on the ground for them for a treat. I think they were for sure attracted to the miracle grow potting soil, and that's why they were eating out of the pots.