styrofoam...a treat or not?

[LadyDixieChick]

I am new to this raising chickens, but I am in love with em all!! I have some white silkies ( a trio actually) the person who gave them to me said they like to peck and eat on styrofoam. He gives it to them and they LOVE it! actually, all my chickens do....Is this safe though? It just doesnt sound good to me....but they love it and they are healthy and happy....

 

[laseterlass]

I hope that he was speaking of the packing peanuts that are made from corn starch. Not actual stryrofoam.

 

[LadyDixieChick]

I did not know that about the "pnuts' but no. He would give them actual stryrofoam ( he had some from something he bought) I wouldnt think it would be good for them, but he has been doing it for years. ( not a daily thing. just occasionally) but I have seen the chickens in action and they LOVE pecking and eating small pieces of it...

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Styrofoam is not good for them to eat.

 

[BrattishTaz]

Please don't let then eat styrofoam.

Edited to add this link.
http://www.ehow.com/list_6046269_chemicals-styrofoam.html

 

[gritsar]

Good for them? No Will it kill them? Hasn't killed any of mine yet.

My DH had to quickly add a new pop door on one of my coops last weekend. He didn't have time to finish the trim between the inside wall of the coop and the exterior wall. In other words, he didn't have time to block off the styrofoam insulation. He was going to do it this weekend.

That's okay dear. The girls took care of it for you.

 

[laseterlass]

biodegradable packing peanuts disolve much like a puffy cheeto when gotten wet. We play with them in a preschool enviroment. they will stick together. 100 percent cornstarch. If you must give the chickens styrofoam? I would use these.

 

[Campngolf]

The vast majority of packing peanuts are polystyrene (Styrofoam) and would not be good for any animal. I would think even the biodegradable ones would be nothing but empty calories.

 

[flowergirl60]

I don't know why anyone would want to give their chickens styrofoam. There's no nutritional value. If they are bored or need something to peck at I would get one of those blocks of seeds like for birds. It's not the best nutritionally but at least there is some nutrition.

 

[TeamChaos]

My chickens will abandon the range to chase a piece of styrofoam We keep it up and way out of chickens' reach- it's kind of like kids eating paste/ playdough/ erasers- yeah, they like it, but it doesn't mean they should do it.