Giant styrofoam packing peanut...just how bad is it??

[sred98]

My lovely dark Cornish, has been enjoying the warm weather today, and I gave her some pomegranates and popcorn. She loved the pomengranates, but thought the popcorn was the worst thing E-V-E-R!!!

So, while we were out in the front yard, looking under rocks for bugs (yes, she is spoiled!) she grabbed a packing peanut that had blown into the yard. I didn't worry too much about it, since she hated the popcorn, and I would think that styrofoam would taste worse than popcorn!

Apparently, I was WRONG!!!

She tore a little piece off, and when I went to grab the peanut, she screamed bloody murder and swallowed it WHOLE!

She even had trouble getting it down. Then, she walked off and started eating bugs like it was nothing.

Will this pass through her crop? Can she pass it out of her system? What do I need to watch for? Is there anything I can do? She saw another one in the neighbor's yard and went running after it, but I snatched her up and brought her inside...she is SO grounded!

I've been watching her, but she acts like nothing happened. I'm more worried about the size of the styrofoam peanut not breaking down in the crop. I know she probably eats crazy things all the time, but this was basically a whole large packing peanut. I may be overreacting, but she is my only chicken!

Thanks,

Shelly

 

[Chicken Woman]

I would mix some cooked oatmeal with some oil (cooking oil anykind)
make it pretty oily to help that thisng slide out.

 

[the1much]

it should pass,, they eat lots worse things then a little Styrofoam hehe

alot of leaves and things are bigger, and harder on them that a peanut

 

[azelgin]

Our chickens have swallowed so much styrofoam you could use them as life rafts. More than once. Maybe it's bad for them, but I haven't heard of anyone losing one to it.

 

[silkiechicken]

Should pass just fine. Chickens love styrofoam and insulation. Must be the squeak on their beaks or something...

 

[sred98]

Thanks for the reassurance, y'all!

I know she eats bad things when I am not watching her, but she had to work to swallow it whole!

I was worried that it wouldn't get broken down in the crop and get stuck somewhere. Or, that she would end up with a crop impaction.

And why would styrofoam be better than popcorn??? Popcorn squeaks on the beak! LOL!

Crazy chicken!

Shelly

 

[chickenannie]

Quote:

 

[Fudgie]

Quote:
ewwww that gave me shivers up my backside!!!!!

 

[azelgin]

Quote:
ewwww that gave me shivers up my backside!!!!!

I cand handle fingernails on chalkboards, silverware against teeth and just about any other sound, except squeaking styrofoam. Chickens. strange and wonderful creatures.

 

[walkswithdog]

If styrofoam killed chickens all my chickens would be DEAD.

Chickens are just too weird.