Is it true you're not to feed chickens anything moldy?

[NatJ]

Mold is not good for anything living - person, animal or bird. Never, ever give moldy food. They will end up with botulism

Um, no, no, and no.

--Penicillin comes from a mold. It's an antibiotic that is good for some people & animals with infections.

--Blue cheese is blue because of a mold. That mold is safe to eat (for people and chickens.)

--Mold and botulism are two different things. Mold needs oxygen to grow, while botulism is only a problem if it grows without oxygen. So you are not likely to find them in the same food. (Some molds are a problem, and botulism is a problem, but you are more likely to find those problems apart than together.)

 

[bhawk-23]

I do not purposely feed mold but I'm sure they have come across some in the compost pile they have free access to. I have a problem with feeding pasta. They girls LOVE it!! And I absolutely love watching them go crazy jumping up and running around like fools to get some! I may or may not have a slight addiction to this new found behavior

 

[Weeg]

I hope the girls don't die from eating the moldy cheese!

Keep an eye on them, you can also do toxic flushes just in case. Here is a link for a sticky post feathering all the toxin flushes- https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/flushes-for-aiding-in-toxin-removal.700526/ Hopefully they will be alright, and this will just be a learn gin experience. ☺

 

[Weeg]

Like others said too, not all molds are poisonous to chickens, so you really never know. They may be fine, they may not. Plus, it also depends on how much mold was consumed, to say who much damage it could do. We'll cross our fingers!

 

[NatJ]

Keep an eye on them, you can also do toxic flushes just in case.

I wonder how many problems are caused by people doing things "just in case"?

The chickens in this particular situation will probably be fine with no treatment at all.

 

[Weeg]

I wonder how many problems are caused by people doing things "just in case"?

The chickens in this particular situation will probably be fine with no treatment at all.

I agree, but if she does see anything out of the ordinary, then she can use the thread if she wants.

Do you think the flushes would harm the birds of there wasn't anything wrong?

 

[NatJ]

Do you think the flushes would harm the birds of there wasn't anything wrong?

Yes, they might cause harm.
For one thing, those are listed for geese. It doesn't say whether the recipes or time would need to be changed for chickens.

Also, look at this quote from that thread:

**These flushes will cause slight to moderate dehydration as they work to expel toxins and foreign matter from your birds system. After giving a flush, offer a steady supply of vitamin and electrolyte fortified water until a full recovery is made.

Causing dehydration is not something you want to do, unless you're treating something that is worse than having the bird be dehydrated. And even then you have to treat the dehydration that you caused.

Or this quote:

! !Do not exceed 8 hours ! ! After 8 hours replace Molasses flush with vitamin and electrolyte water

I take that to mean it's harmful if given for too long.

So yes, I would consider the flushes to be possibly harmful--worth it if you knew the chicken had eaten something that needed this treatment, but not worth the risk if the chicken would probably be fine anyway.

 

[Miceeatingchicken]

Keep an eye on them, you can also do toxic flushes just in case. Here is a link for a sticky post feathering all the toxin flushes- https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/flushes-for-aiding-in-toxin-removal.700526/ Hopefully they will be alright, and this will just be a learn gin experience. ☺

Thank you!

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

Not true.

It's not poisonous, but it can affect egg laying. I'm sure giving them just a little is ok.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

It's not poisonous, but it can affect egg laying. I'm sure giving them just a little is ok.

Agreed. It’s not poisonous though.