My hen ate styrofoam!!

[OrpingtonManor]

Yeah, they do seem to love it. I don't know why. I will think I've hidden it from them, and they seem to find it just the same. Silly birds.

 

[blue fire]

Maybe they think it's popcorn

has similar textures.....

 

[Whirlwind]

Just caught mine eating it yesterday. Coon got in the trash again and I guess I missed it with the wind howling here.

Weird why they like it. Never seemed to hurt mine either.

 

[CESOrtega]

This is a timely post for me, too. We have our 11 week old babies in the garage still and we let them loose in there during the day. Sure enough, they have been pecking on some styrofoam and insulation on the garage door. We have tried to keep it from them but they are very crafty about getting to it. I went in there earlier and found them pecking at it but as soon as they heard me coming they froze solid still. Like they knew they were doing something they weren't supposed to.

Glad to hear others have the same problem and there isn't any bad things getting ready to happen.

 

[cwhit590]

Quote:
Same with my friend's hens...they're still alive and laying!

 

[tulie13]

Quote:
I'm guessing it just passes through, as I don't think they can break down polystyrene in their digestive tract. The gizzard might grind the pieces down to where they are smaller? Maybe that's why you don't see them...

 

[A.T. Hagan]

I don't believe I've ever seen a chicken that would not eat styrofoam if it got the chance and so far as I can tell it's never hurt any of them. I try to keep them out of it, but sometimes it happens anyway. Styrofoam is pretty soft so I suspect their gizzard grinds it up fine which is why it never seems to show up in their manure.

Talk about junk food...

.....Alan.

 

[KnitswithChickens]

When we built our coop we kindly put in that pink foam sheet of insulation to help keep the coop warmer in winter. Little did we know that the chickens would eat it!! We took it out and everyone is fine. They still try to eat the "fake" clay planters in my yard - go figure.

 

[PoultryPedia]

A.T. Hagan :

...Talk about junk food...

Yep--Empty non-calories for sure!
Update: My hen's doing just fine. Thanks again for sharing experience & reassurance.​

 

[TiaMaria413]

Thanks for posting about this. Just discovered my hen had eaten a bunch of styrofoam from a lamp I unpacked. I was so worried.