What is it with Chickens & Styrofoam??(rant)

[alwaystj9]

My chickens are rarely allowed in the yard, just recently when I am working in their pen.
I am installing a net cover and am too old to be getting on & off a ladder with animals underfoot.
So they have been up in the yard a few hours each day.
They have a full fenced acre to mess about in but they have apparently been eating a styrofoam cooler in the back corner of the carport.
They also ruined the bag of sackrete (concrete mix) I had stashed in the cooler because the humidity got to it after their excavations.
They chose THIS over my garden??
They must have eaten a lot of the styrofoam, too, because the debris-field is not big enough for the level of destruction.

 

[HumbleAmerican]

I have a piece of Styrofoam sandwiched between two pieces of wood in my feed shed. Every dang time I prop the door open to work in it.... They're on it like it was the best thing ever.

Haven't had I'll effects so far. It's definitely frustrating!

 

[MadamContrary]

No idea, a piece flew into my yard on trash day and they went nuts over it. I was worried about impacted crops, but they seemed to pass it fine. I wonder if the color makes them think calcium source or the texture reminds them of larvae

 

[Chookchicken]

Styrofoam is like chickens drugs. They get addicted to eating it.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Between the cats sharpening their claws on it and the chickens eating it, we have to keep our styro coolers either in the cars for transporting groceries or locked safely in the well house. Out of sight, out of mind. That stuff is definitely chicken crack!

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Ducks do it too. This sneaky little girl thought she could chew her way to some minnows and she was almost successful

 

[lysmandor]

I don’t understand why they think it’s so great, but they do. My house foundation is covered in painted styrofoam insulation - once the chickens figured that out, it was a fun time.

 

[The Moonshiner]

It's duck envy.
They don't like the idea they can't access water like ducks do.
They just want to eat enough so they can float around on the pond.
Not a big deal.

 

[topochico225]

Yes!!!! I was assembling a coop for my 4 (at the time) big girls and they devoured a 2’x3’ sheet of cardboard and one of styrofoam. They were totally fine so I guess it isn’t harmful

 

[SaltyHen]

My cabin is raised and spray foam insulated underneath. The chickens hang out underneath the cabin sometimes — bug feast, dust baths, shelter from rain, etc — but I think you see where this is going. One of the girls discovered the spray foam above her head today. It's very styrofoam-like. I'm new to chickens and never imagined they would peck up.If this continues, I'm going to have to block access, which is going to be an annoying project.