LEAD found in coop and we've been eating the eggs !Freaking out !

[CityChook]

Olive, I live in a 100 year old house. All three of my kids have tested positive for lead at one point or another. And they're F.I.N.E.... Your pediatrician will have good information for you. Until you meet with him/her, take a deep breath.

If you don't want to get rid of the old window (and I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to keep it!) I'd recommend getting out there and scraping away all of the peely paint. Seal it well with a good primer and paint over it with several coats of new paint. Try not to let the peelies fall all over the ground (ie: put a plastic underneath it and dispose of it when you're done). Because all of the surfaces in my house have been replaced/repainted, the dr. thought that my kids were picking up the lead from the dirt surrounding the house. Not much you can do about that one...

BTW, your etsy site is cute.

 

[Apprentice_egger]

Tell your kids not to eat the windows.

OK, seriously, there isn't much to worry about, so have a shot of your favorite adult beverage and calm down. Now, as City Chook said (What is a chook??)

just get rid of the lead paint if it's bothering you. The most dangerous lead problem is usually the one that protects your life and comes out of a barrel. Enjoy your chickens and life will go a lot easier.

 

[urbanolive]

Alright, I'm starting to calm down a little, thanks for all the reassuring words everyone. I will test the kids but not the chicken-the avian vet wants $233 to do that.... I wonder if I can get an actual egg tested for lead...

 

[mstricer]

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PLEASE don't try to freak people out. Many people have been around lead. Alot of us chewed on toys that had lead paint on them, our cribs had lead paint on them, and we appear to be fine(Well some of us got a chicken addiction from it though, lookie there, thats what I am offically blaming my addiction on LEAD. Every thing should be fine. Take your chickens out, wear face mask scrape paint off then repaint when weather warms.

 

[BigSkyChickens]

Why do chickens love to eat paint so much??? I don't think my house is old enough to have any lead paint.....but still, anywhere there is paint peeling, the chicks seem to find it! They seem so love it almost as much as styrofoam!
urbanolive, good luck sorting this out.

 

[AHappychick]

Personally I think you will be fine, but I would call the pediatrician (do not reley on BYC folks for something of that importance) and possibly have the young ones tested and contact the state and see if they will test and egg or chicken for you. As a mother I understand your worry but first get all your facts then you can deside what to do.

 

[mstricer]

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Mine like styrofoam too. Peck all of the bottom of garage door till they found it. I came home from work, the whole bottom plank gone and 10 hens pecking at it. I had to fix it but they find it,

 

[pkeeler]

If the lead doesn't kill the chickens and the source is removed, they will eventually get rid of it from their system. I have no idea how long that would take. I would think the risk from eating eggs to be minimal, if it has only been going on for two weeks. But I would not eat any for awhile (a food lab might test it, might be expensive). Get the kids tested, but I doubt they will show anything.

As for the windows, I don't know if I would scrape them unless you can remove them from the coop to a place where you can collect all the shavings on plastic. If you scrape off the paint and the dust/bits fall into the coop, the chickens will eat it. I'd Google the latest ideas for mitigating lead paint. You might be advised to just paint over it. IMO, you don't need windows in a chicken coop; so trash the windows and just leave the hardware cloth.

 

[urbanolive]

I think I can attach the hardware cloth in such a way that they can't get to the windows to poison themselves. I actually designed the whole coop around these windows and it would be a shame to take them out....but I'll do what I have to do !

 

[mstricer]

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I like your coop its very nice. Did you make that yourself or buy a plan.