Will Chickens Eat Found .22 Bullet Slugs??

[GreenEggsNSpam]

I'm not exactly sure where to ask this question, so I thought I'd try it here.

We just received our 8'x12' Chicken Coop today and are now looking at building the run. The problem is, the Coop was placed near one of the places my family and I target shoot with .22 rifles. Of course, we won't be shooting in that spot anymore. But I am concerned about building the run over areas where we frequently shot into the ground (where the targets were). I have no idea how deeply embedded into the ground the bullet slugs are, but I can't help feel concerned that the chickens might somehow find them and eat them.

Should I be concerned??

Thanks in advance!

 

[Vicky2479]

I am forever finding things that my chooks have dug up, who ever did the garden here used alsorts as landfill and my friend said the something about her chooks too so I would be concerned especially if the shots are lead I know next to nothing about guns or ammo except that some of it looks like small pellets (buckshot?)I don't know how much ingested lead would be lethal to a chicken or if they would be smart enough not to eat them or at least stop after the first one, I must say mine aren't that bright most of the time but you never know

 

[donrae]

I wouldn't think so. I've seen chickens eat a lot, but I can't imagine they would eat slugs. They might dig one up and taste it, but I wouldn't see it going beyond that.

 

[donrae]

Okay, was talking with my husband the hunter and he says they quite might, that this is why lead shot is illegal to use when you're hunting on a wildlife area, you have to use copper or steel shot instead as it's nontoxic. He thinks the .22 shot may be small enough the birds would eat it like grit.