they ate a citronella candle!!

[rcentner]

so should I find dead birds? left the stupid candle in the yard and busted them eating it!

 

[TwoCrows]

Citronella candles are toxic to all animals, chickens included. It depends on how much they ate as to whether it will kill them. You could try filling their water font with straight milk for a day. Milk acts as a flush and can clean out the toxins in the body. It is worth a shot. (Don't let the milk sour too long).

 

[rcentner]

well, it's been many days and they never looked sick and are all still doing great! Phew! Just thought I would update incase this ever happens to someone else. I could find nothing on chickens eating citronella and I must not be the only one that this has happened to

 

[feliciamckee]

Glad they are fine. I have a citronella plant. I did not know that they were toxic to animals so I plan on getting rid of it. The chickens have never tried to eat it, but don't want to take any chances.

 

[Judy]

Thanks for posting the outcome, and I'm glad they're OK! I would have guessed they would be, but much better to know for sure.

 

[yinepu]

Since it was a candle.. the citronella wax should have contained most of the oils to prevent them from being absorbed... now had it been the oil itself you would have dead birds.. personally I wouldn't eat any of their eggs for about a week or so just in case they did absorb a trace of the oil.. but for the most part eating candles won't kill a bird.. it's still not a good idea for them to munch on them.. but being critters they tend to get into a lot of things they shouldn't

 

[lisababes]

My chickens do this too! I have had this candle sitting around for ages, and they discovered it; its apparently very tasty to them. They REALLY go after it, like they do to other favorite edibles. When I move it away or higher, and they just stare at me like "hey! what are you doing with my treat?" I've busted them doing it a few times, and they're fine, health wise. I just wonder what it is they are craving here - - the wax or the citronella.