blue foam board

[francisca harding]

when we built our coop we built a room for them to get out of thecold. is about 4 ft square and about 2 ft high.ithas a tin roof that can be hinged up for cleaning. we put blue insulating foam board under the tin to make it a bit warmer. a while back we raised the roof for cleaning and found the girls had nearly eaten the foam insulation. what is going on and will the insulation hurt them? also i can't seem to correct a spelling mistake with wiping out the next word

 

[rosemarythyme]

Chickens eat foam and insulation, so any time you're using it it must be completely covered. Plywood, plastic sheeting, etc.

Will it hurt them? It's probably not great for them and I imagine too much could clog up their digestive system, plus I'd be concerned if any chemicals could leech into the eggs. But I'd definitely either find a way to cover it immediately, or remove it if covering is not an option.

I'm curious about this space you built. 4x2 is a pretty small space - do the chickens actually use it (other than eating it)? What's your climate like that it's so cold that you need a space to keep chickens warm? Unless you're down at extremes like -30, -40F, chickens are perfectly fine keeping themselves warm as long as they stay dry and out of drafts.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

... our coop... is about 4 ft square and about 2 ft high.ithas a... roof that can be hinged up for cleaning. we put blue insulating foam board under the tin to make it a bit warmer.... a while back we raised the roof for cleaning and found the girls had nearly eaten the foam insulation....

Welcome to the world of chickens. Remember that you are dealing with chickens and that chickens share none of humans' biases and concerns, they're, well for better or worse they're chickens.

A short description of you location may help us, to help you decide if your chickens even need insulation or not.

 

[francisca harding]

they have a plenty big enough run area, this is just to get out of the weather, maybe a bit overdone. there are laying boxes on one side of this. the chicks were also able to get to where a bit of the foamboard was uncovered on the side of a building and were pecking at that. what is the facination and will it hurt them?

 

[50-45-1]

Ahh... chickens love to eat foam, they think its like popcorn and it makes that satisfing sound when you peck at it.
I made the mistake of using it in the walls of my first coop.
When i disasembled that coop i discovered that meal worms had made there home in it and literally consumed it. It was disgusting!
The most important thing for chickens in winter is NO DRAFTS. If there are no drafts there oun body heat will warm there area enough.

 

[RWise]

I can not find IF Styrofoam is harmful to chickens, but they go after it like kid with a candy bar! I have to search the yard after every storm as it will blow in,,, and I dont want the girls eating it!
Whether it is bad for them or not it cannot be good for them,,,

 

[aart]

they have a plenty big enough run area, this is just to get out of the weather, maybe a bit overdone. there are laying boxes on one side of this. the chicks were also able to get to where a bit of the foamboard was uncovered on the side of a building and were pecking at that. what is the facination and will it hurt them?

It's like bubble wrap can't stop the pop!
How long have they been eating it.....and are they still alive?
Most probably passes thru....but it could clog them up, best to keep it covered.

Welcome to BYC!
Where in this world are you located?
Climate is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, then it's always there!