Hay can be dangerous

[Mikhail]

i just wanted to warn everyone that hay can be dangerous to birds. I used to have hay in my button's cages but one day while I was trying to exam one of their toes (somehow one of their toenails got ripped off) I saw one of my females tryng to swallow a long sturdy piece of hay (it was about half as long as her entire body). I grabbed her and was able to pull it out, but just barely. I'm so glad I was there at the time because that would not have been good. So since then I haven't had hay or shavings in the cage. I'm too afraid they'll try to eat shavings too. the shavings have little pieces of wood in them and they might mistake that as food.

Has anyone else had any trouble with shavings or hay? Maybe that's sometimes the cause of a bird to die, but you wouldn't ever know unless you had an autopsy done.

 

[chicks for better health]

Thanks for the heads up. I noticed one of mine trying to eat the hay as well.

They are like small children they will get into anything that they can.

 

[monarc23]

I dont really advise against hay anyhow as if it gets wet i can get moldy pretty quickly

edited to add (as bedding as a foraging thing is different, but as bedding you have to worry about the hay getting wet)

 

[redhen]

are they in a solid bottom cage? or on wire?

 

[sundance]

I have RIR's and have been using hay for 2 years and had no problem, but I only use it in the coop and nest, other than that they free range coop has a dirt floor so its easy to rake out the old hay and replace it with new.marrie

 

[buck-wild-chick]

If they eat to much hay is can cause crop impaction.

 

[Chicken Fruit]

We use hay. Never had an issue.

 

[redhen]

are you keeping the cages clean enough? how did you rip a toe nail off? was the hay stuck to the toe from them walking in poop? just asking these questions so i can get a better idea of how you are raising them...thanks

 

[bock]

Hmmmmmmmm

 

[chickens4me]

I found the same problem with hay~~so now I use pine shavings instead & have no problems at all that I have found.

I'm glad you caught your little one in time.