My chicken ate a piece of glass. Help!

[DigdigDugdug]

My 6 month old hen found a flat rectangular piece of glass about a 1/2 in length. I tried to grab it before she could swallow it, and now I’m finding random piece in the garden when I churn up the soil. I have heard different information from different places, and wanted to know if someone who has experienced this knows what to expect or has any advice? I’m very worried. Some stuff you hear/read says it could get lodged in her crop or cut her intestines, others say chickens are equipped to handle swallowing small sharp objects to a degree, and that some will even eat tacks and nails and still be fine. I just want to know if I should be freaking out or not. I will obviously keep an eye on her regardless, but it’s soil, I can only dig through so much of it, but I also do not want to keep my hens locked in there coop all day either. Thoughts? Opinions? Anything helps! Thanks!

 

[RubelliteRose]

I haven't had any chickens eat glass (that I know of), but I did have one eat one of my earrings. She just jumped up and grabbed it out of my ear. This was almost 2 years ago and she is still doing fine

 

[SilverBirds]

Watch her for any unusual behaviors such as her being lethargic, blood in poop, and not eating. Also check to make sure her crop has emptied/feels normal in the morning.

Try and pick up any more glass you see to keep more form being eaten.

 

[Tonyroo]

My older hens eat chipped glass that they find in my soil.

The only reason I know this is several months ago my older buff hen decided to take a walk outside the perimeter of my fence heading up the hill only to be attacked by a bobcat. I heard the chickens make a ruckus and ran up the hill to find the bobcat dragging her higher up the hill. When he saw me he dropped her. I ran to grab her only to find she died of fright cause there wasn't any big wounds.

Anyway I decided to cut her up and see if everything looked normal. I found large amounts of chipped glass in her gizzard and way too much fat cells surrounding some of her organs. Despite my findings she was perfectly normal other than the occasional water vomiting.

I also found chipped glass in one of the poop the other day but my other hen grabbed it before I can remove it.

So my consensus with the glass eating is that it won't harm the chicken. But do prevent them from eating it.

 

[Adam Benka]

My 6 month old hen found a flat rectangular piece of glass about a 1/2 in length. I tried to grab it before she could swallow it, and now I’m finding random piece in the garden when I churn up the soil. I have heard different information from different places, and wanted to know if someone who has experienced this knows what to expect or has any advice? I’m very worried. Some stuff you hear/read says it could get lodged in her crop or cut her intestines, others say chickens are equipped to handle swallowing small sharp objects to a degree, and that some will even eat tacks and nails and still be fine. I just want to know if I should be freaking out or not. I will obviously keep an eye on her regardless, but it’s soil, I can only dig through so much of it, but I also do not want to keep my hens locked in there coop all day either. Thoughts? Opinions? Anything helps! Thanks!

I asked same Q many times... Because i have lot of glass in my backyard from broken front car glass... When i say a LOT a mean from 4-5 front glass... I picked up what i could... but its impossible to pick all up... They are free roaming chickens.

FIRST HAND CONCLUSION, so far: Chickens WILL eat glass and CAN die from it! I lost almoust all wayndottes breed to this. I opened thier belly to see if that was the case, and IT WAS. They gaster was FULL of glass...

HOWEVER!!!!!! Orpitington breed, didnt had problems so far... NEITHER one died so far, nor had any kind of problem... Either because they are LARGE BREED, or they dont eat glass... I dont know yet...

This is what happened to me in 7 month of free roaming of two breeds of chickens in grassy and glassy terrain...

Will update if find out something else...

 

[Tonyroo]

I asked same Q many times... Because i have lot of glass in my backyard from broken front car glass... When i say a LOT a mean from 4-5 front glass... I picked up what i could... but its impossible to pick all up... They are free roaming chickens.

FIRST HAND CONCLUSION, so far: Chickens WILL eat glass and CAN die from it! I lost almoust all wayndottes breed to this. I opened thier belly to see if that was the case, and IT WAS. They gaster was FULL of glass...

HOWEVER!!!!!! Orpitington breed, didnt had problems so far... NEITHER one died so far, nor had any kind of problem... Either because they are LARGE BREED, or they dont eat glass... I dont know yet...

This is what happened to me in 7 month of free roaming of two breeds of chickens in grassy and glassy terrain...

Will update if find out something else...

You can sift the dirt with a frame with 1/4" or 1/2" wire cloth that's what I did in the areas the chickens were actively foraging. I got 98% of all broken glass out of the dirt.

 

[Adam Benka]

I would if it would be an 3000m2

 

[Eggcessive]

I live on an old farm where past generations had burned garbage. When we have dug up topsoil, we have found small chunks of coal, glass, ceramic pottery, glass, and other things. In my chicken yard, I have always kept a plastic covered coffee can to collect small pieces of glass, hardware, plastic, or other things chicken may eat. Every winter when the ground freezes, things will heave up to the top, and suddenly there are more things to pick up. Chickens will peck and eat just about everything. It pays to look around and remove any items, or pick up after yourself when using nails, screws, etc, or those items may be swallowed and stuck in the gizzard. String and hair are very dangerous, getting wrapped around tongues, and feed sack strings should always be picked up and disposed of.

 

[Tonyroo]

I live on an old farm where past generations had burned garbage. When we have dug up topsoil, we have found small chunks of coal, glass, ceramic pottery, glass, and other things. In my chicken yard, I have always kept a plastic covered coffee can to collect small pieces of glass, hardware, plastic, or other things chicken may eat. Every winter when the ground freezes, things will heave up to the top, and suddenly there are more things to pick up. Chickens will peck and eat just about everything. It pays to look around and remove any items, or pick up after yourself when using nails, screws, etc, or those items may be swallowed and stuck in the gizzard. String and hair are very dangerous, getting wrapped around tongues, and feed sack strings should always be picked up and disposed of.

My yard was landfill created by previous owners. But I got most of it removed. Lol, I even found a crossing xing sign with the metal post attach to it under 3 feet of dirt.