styrofoam eating chickens

[McEgg]

I went outside to discover the hens EATING the foam covers you put over your spigots(outside faucets) in the winter. 2 of the coverings were completely eaten and one only partically. What will this do to them , if anything?

They are fed well(kids see to that) and I have no idea what they thought they were eating because you know foam can't possibly taste good.


are they lacking something in their diet? They are not laying yet, probably not until February.

 

[jjthink]

Chickens I've had go crazy for styrofoam - I've read that others have had the same experience. Somebody wrote that this is where styrofoam egg cartons come from!

I thought for sure mine were going to expire from it but alas, they were fine. Of course I immediately got rid of the styrofoam. Only solution is to make it inaccessible to them. This means styrofoam insulation, styrofoam coolers, styrofoam cups, styrofoam peanut packing thingies....if it's anywhere, they find it!
JJ

 

[okiechick57]

Mine ate all the foam out of insulation panel we have on house..........they lived....I got rid of it........ wont hurt them as far as I can tell..........

 

[pollysmum]

The chickens will eat it in preference to food

If they have access to it all the time they lose condition, and eventually die from starvation, due to not eating proper food

Also small amount of it come off when they are pecking at it and this is inhaled into the lungs... it doesn't show up as anything to start with it takes a while to show symptoms.

After a few months you may find one of your hens having difficulty in breathing, the styrofoam gets into the lungs and causes a form of cancer to form, once the bird gets this there is nothing you can do for her, but until she dies you can't tell what is wrong with her either, she will show signs of respiratory but not have all the other symptoms so it will be confusing to try and figure out what is wrong with her

So if you see thins happening to any of your birds down the track ---- remember the styrofoam and think back.. was this one of the birds that ate it

 

[silkiechicken]

Just get it out of their reach. They must think it's popcorn or something. Not much you can do now about it now and just keep the eye out for styrofoam poos! Mine have found a Styrofoam chunk and had eaten almost all of it before I caught them running around with styrofoam balls stuck on their feathers!

 

[McEgg]

thanks for the info. they seem fine so far.

BTW- to all you guys that have tried to help me with figuring out if my chicks are roos or hens...three of them are crowing.
I guess that answers my question......

gonna keep them until someone complains:/