Do your silly chickens like to eat styrofoam?

[Buugette]

Won't the styrofoam hurt them? I was thinking of insulating some of the coop with it, but was afraid what would happen if they ate it.

 

[IDIOT HUSBAND]

My girls like strings of silicone that were left after the remodeling of the house. You have to chase them down to get it from them(i'm afraid they will choke on it). I haven't had any styrafoam issues but it is good to know. Thanks.

 

[Uzuri]

Quote:
It isn't good for them; I think what most folks here do is make sure that the insulation is sandwiched between two things that they won't eat (plywood). Even if it wouldn't hurt them, it's best not to have to re-insulate every fifteen minutes XD

 

[chicknmania]

Ours think styrofoam is heaven on earth. We've taken it away from them a few times. Never had any illnesses or fatalities as a result of them eating it, but if you use it for insulation it would be best to cover it with something else. We have a very warm elevated hospital/ nursery pen that is insulated with styrofoam, they will actually look for gaps in the ceiling material covering the styrofoam, so they can peck at it.

 

[deanna&rich]

I think that the styrene must taste kind of sweet, the way propolyne glycol (antifreeze) does. A chemistry-knowledgeable person could confirm this .... I do think it smells kind of sweet even to me.

It can't be good for them, it off-gasses.

 

[Joyryder]

WOW I never even thought to feed it to them.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Styrofoam is NOT something you should intentionally feed to birds even if they like it.

It's just that when they can get to it they do seem to enjoy snacking on it.

I have never heard or read of it hurting the birds, but they cannot get any nutritional use from it. Keep it out of reach as much as you can, but if they do get to it anyway it's not going to make them sick.

.....Alan.

 

[augustmomx2]

Mine enjoy it as well

Every winter we make our dog a "dog-shack" he was abused as a puppy and is fearful of small spaces so refuses to use a dog-house. We insulate it with insulation board. This is the first year with chickens and I couldn't figure out why the chickens loved his dog-shack so much. Well, its because they discovered the insulation! A huge portion was picked off and I covered the rest with duct tape

How can that stuff taste good?

 

[crazyhen]

As we say here they will eat it in a "skinny minute." I too wonder why. Does it remind them of bread etc. Or maybe some type of stuff they use to get in the wild? If someone knows let us know. LOL they are so funny and determined about it too. Gloria Jean

 

[chicknmania]

I used to think they ate it b/c it looked like bread, but the styrofoam insulation in our elevated pen is pink...so much for that theory.