Zinc Toxic?

[AccentOnHakes]

I have heard it is to birds. We're building the coop right now, and the nails and screws are zinc. Help?

 

[silkiechicken]

Don't worry about it. Zinc coating on one or two screws ingested by a passing bird would likly just go though and be fine.

 

[AccentOnHakes]

Okay, thanks! I was scared that they might peck on it.

 

[patandchickens]

It is not so much the zinc as the cadmium that is *also* in the galvanized coating along with the zinc; yes it is toxic.

BUT, this is only an issue for things like parrots that chew on cage wire. Chickens do not chew on wire, not in the slightest. There is no problem whatsoever using galvanized metal for chicken coops/runs.

If a chicken eats a screw, the major health problem is not whether it's galvanized, it's that a pointy metal thing in the digestive tract is sometimes fatal. So again, galvanization is not a concern -- although as with building ANY kind of livestock housing or fencing, you want to keep very close control over your screws and fence-wire cutoffs and suchlike, and ideally run a magnet over the area a few times before turning the animals in there.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[elmo]

Be aware, though, if you're using pressure treated wood it's recommended to use hot dipped galvanized screws because of the possiblity of corrosion:

http://woodworking.about.com/od/safetyfirst/p/SafeACQLumber.htm