Styrofoam

[Steven Phillippe]

Hi everyone it’s been a while since I’ve been on. Today I heard a noise and notice one our chicks eating away at a piece of foam board we were using in the coop for insulation. It ate a lot of it so I removed it. Our silkies never bothered with it so never though about it being a hazard. Will the chicks pass it or kill them or what? Thanks in advance. Steven P.

 

[Battlepants]

Chickens are generally pretty hardy about the things that they eat. Have they had grit or at least a good deal of time scratching in the dirt to build up their grit supply?

 

[nuthatched]

It won't hurt them but naturally they shouldn't eat it. Chickens love Styrofoam, ask me what happened to my Styrofoam incubator when I left it out where they could reach it.

 

[Steven Phillippe]

Chickens are generally pretty hardy about the things that they eat. Have they had grit or at least a good deal of time scratching in the dirt to build up their grit supply?

Yes they have grit in the coop and are outside on weekends.

 

[coach723]

It will probably pass without issue. I had birds eat about 3 feet of foam pipe insulation off a hose bib riser once. They all survived. That was remedied by covering the insulation with something they could not peck through (gorilla tape). While it's not optimal, and we should try to prevent it, stuff happens, it's hard to think of everything! They are very innovative at finding ways to get into trouble sometimes.

 

[Steven Phillippe]

Yes they have grit in the coop and are outside on weekends.

Update. All is well and everyone is outside all day now and locked up at night. Padlock on the door!!

 

[TerriB1213]

Update. All is well and everyone is outside all day now and locked up at night. Padlock on the door!!

Glad to hear! Today my hens knocked over 2 of those Walmart scarecrows and ate part of the Styrofoam heads! I got on here to see if anyone else has had a similar problem. Hopefully all of mine will be OK!