My chickens ate a waxy paper disposable bowl

[chickity-chick]

My chickens ate part of one of those waxy heavy duty kind of paper bowls. Will they be ok? It was two of my birds who ate it. One let out a black liquidy poop about an hour ago I’ve never seen that before is that normal or maybe caused by the bowl? They are still acting normal but it’s bed time so I put them up and won’t be watching them over night. Help please! Should I be worried??
Edit: I know if it was regular paper it would be fine but this is that heavy duty waxy sealed nice kitchen paper bowl paper. I’m worried about the waxy sealed stuff on it causing a problem. The two ate half a bowl- they look identical so not sure which of the two ate more

 

[chickenlittle21]

Are they eating and drinking?

 

[chickity-chick]

Are they eating and drinking?

Yes but not as much. Not as excited about treats either. And it’s been a day. Could it still be affecting them?

 

[Ruby Rogue]

Sorry my chicks decided to try to eat the paper plate I was feeding them off of as well. I gave them some grit and won't use paper plates to feed them again. They're still alive after a few days.

 

[chickity-chick]

Sorry my chicks decided to try to eat the paper plate I was feeding them off of as well. I gave them some grit and won't use paper plates to feed them again. They're still alive after a few days.

Thank you that makes me feel better!

 

[Ruby Rogue]

Thank you that makes me feel better!

I hope they are okay...paper and wax are mostly organic, aren't they?

 

[chickity-chick]

I hope they are okay...paper and wax are mostly organic, aren't they?

Chemistry nerd here: technically the plastic coating on the plates and bowls is normally a polyethylene polymer which is technically an organic molecule because it is a carbon based molecule but it is not organic in the sense that I think you might be meaning. Our bodies do not contain what would be necessary to break the molecules bonds and digest it. Polymers like this would be most closely related to fats except with fats our bodies the break down at the carboxylic acid eater area and not in the polymer chain area- polyethylene does not have an area like this and therefore can not be broken down.

ok I’m done being a nerd now

 

[Xouie]

So chickity— the birds should still be able to pass the PEP in undigested little bits right?

 

[chickity-chick]

So chickity— the birds should still be able to pass the PEP in undigested little bits right?

That’s what I don’t know about. I think this could be the case if they tore the bowl up in small pieces before swallowing then they should be ok passing small pieces- but I know based on people’s digestive systems (above is about people) I know chickens digest things differently. If they swallowed huge pieces I don’t know if their internal digestive tract that they pass stuff through would get trapped with it. That’s my concern. But they have grit? So just like how we can tear the paper plastic coated bowl and rip it’s bonds to “break it down” that way can their grit do the same and overcome the molecules bond strengths and break it down that way to make smaller passable pieces? We don’t have the enzymes to break those bonds but do chickens even have enzymes to break down food or do they rely on grit alone? I have absolutely no idea about how they digest food and if their internal tracts would be able to pass larger pieces of the stuff or get blocked. I assume they do have enzymes and bacteria because it would make no sense not to. I highly doubt chickens would break things up tiny before swallowing. My ladies have been known to eat huge berries with out breaking them up first so I figure they will do the same with large pieces of the plastic??

 

[Ruby Rogue]

I have no idea. Bump. ❤