Hen ate air gun pellets.

[MissE]

Sorry about your hen.

Stories like yours are why I shake my head when people say chickens know what's good for them and won't eat the wrong stuff.

Any idea how she got ahold of the pellets? Are these the little round bb type ones? I think most of those are steel, but shotgun shot is generally lead. So are the mushroom shaped pellets for most air guns.

 

[DobieLover]

Thank you. Yes, the pellets are lead. I'm not sure if the other 3 hens have eaten pellets.
Also, two of the hens have gotten a little mean to the third hen since Lily died. They pick on her when I put them back in the coop for the night.

Whenever a member of the flock dies, the pecking order behaviors will ramp up. The smaller the flock, the more obvious the increase in behaviors. The pecking order is a dynamic entity. It's constantly changing and being enforced.

Hi and welcome! So sorry about your hen. I think I would toss the eggs sometimes it is just better to be safe.

If the air pellets are magnetic you can use a magnetic pickup tool similar to this one around the chicken area. It's about the size of a golf club and can be found at the hardware store.

Edited to add: even if you sweep the area I would check the area again in case the chickens pass some. Though I worry if pellets could be sitting in their crops...

View attachment 2567429

If the pellets are pure lead and not an iron alloy, they will not be picked up by a magnet.

 

[SegiDream]

If the pellets are pure lead and not an iron alloy, they will not be picked up by a magnet.

That is why I said IF the pellets are magnetic. It would be easy to test the ones they found with a refrigerator magnet. But I still think it would be a good idea considering there were screws found too.

 

[swampfox440]

I would think about getting a Metal Detector ! Whites makes a good one . Welcome to BYC !

 

[CLSranch]

If it's the steel bb's it should not have been her demise. I know several people who have had one in them for 20yrs my brother included. The pellets I don't know about other than lead is lead.

 

[CHlCKEN]

Welcome to BYC! I’m sorry to hear about your loss