How bad is Styrofoam?

[Mrs. Light Sussex]

My little peepers whom are free ranging seem to constantly find (and fight over) Styrofoam. How concerned should I be? Any tips on dealing with it?

 

[3riverschick]

No no. I would be concerned .that's not digestible and I question if it will expand in their crops. I would lose the styrofoam. I would also make sure they're getting some Grit so if they do have eaten it, hopefully the grit can pulverize this crap and get it out of them .
Karen and the light Sussex in Western Pennsylvania

 

[lazy gardener]

Styrofoam should not expand. However, it would be important to be sure there is none in the yard, and cover up any styrofoam used as insulation so they can't access it. I'm sure it has chemicals in it that are not meant to be part of the food chain.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Styrofoam is already expanded and grit should take care of it. I don't know if they metabolize it or just expel it, but mealworms actually metabolize it.

 

[Kusanar]

I wouldn't freak out and pull my hair out if any of my animals got a mouthful of styrafoam, but, I do try to keep them from eating it whenever possible. So, if you see a chunk in the yard, pick it up before the birds get it, but if they find it first and you can't get it away from them in time, I wouldn't freak out too bad. I'm sure my cats have all eaten it at some point since they like to scratch on it and make snow everywhere... They're still alive and healthy.

 

[rivers_chickens]

i'm glad to hear my chickens aren't too unusual. their very most favorite "treat" seems to be styrofoam! They race to it and fight over it with much more enthusiasm than any of the actual treats I give them. I live in a neighborhood with a lot of neighbors and often a brisk wind, so it's constantly blowing into their yard. I can't imagine why they love it so much; I can't think of anything I'd rather eat less.

 

[twilightgecko]

my girls always seem to find styrofoam.. like, the inside garage door, it's pecked to death. and there are old peck marks missing from the people we bought the house from, i guess their chickens liked it too.. and they get under the porch and peck the foam insulation, looks like styrofoam.. they dont appear to eat it tho, just peck at it.. like they are bored.. or curious.. they shouldn't be bored with all the stuff i give them to play with.. they free range..

 

[chickengeorgeto]

No no. I would be concerned .that's not digestible and I question if it will expand in their crops. I would lose the styrofoam. I would also make sure they're getting some Grit so if they do have eaten it, hopefully the grit can pulverize this crap and get it out of them .
Karen and the light Sussex in Western Pennsylvania

Are you sure and certain that like George Carlton said about plastic, that Mother Nature created us humans because chickens craved styrofoam and Maw Nature didn't know how to make it.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

My chickens have eaten a decent chunk out of one of my Halloween headstones...but they were ok. It's best if you can clear all sources of styrofoam.

 

[Mrs. Light Sussex]

I just lost a pullet to a chunk of styrofoam. The necroscopy revealed a chunk of styrofoam 1x.5 inches stuck in her crop, it basically caused her to starve despite the fact that she had been tube fed for the past week. It is amazing that she was able to swallow it but she did and it killed her.