Unearthing old hardware

[Dynamissa]

I found a large aluminum screw in the waterer and a rusty one in the dust bath area where my girls dustbathe in their enclosed dirt floor run today… they have been digging so much they are unearthing all manner of old thing.. this house was built 100 years ago.

Is there anything I can potentially do to keep this from happening? I don’t knit what wake they’ve come across… I’ve run it over with a magnet and found nothing else today but I haven’t used a magnet in some time. I’m hoping they haven’t managed to swallow too many old rusty nails and screws since digging up the dirt…

 

[TOMTE]

Chickens usually know what they can and can't eat. Even if they pick something up like a screw or washer they're going to get sensory input from their beaks that it isn't something edible. Usually. Just throw things out when you find them and keep an eye on your flock for symptoms of hardware disease

 

[TOMTE]

My pullets took turns running and chasing each other around with an old rusty nail once about a month ago then got bored of it after 5 minutes so I picked it up and threw it in the trash. Sometimes I think they just get really excited to find something new

 

[Eggcessive]

I have old property as well, and keep a container by the coop door to pick up pieces of glass, hardware, plastic, leftover strings or plastic strips from feed bags, staples, or nail heads that pop up in the ground, especially during a freeze, but also with digging. Hardware disease is common in backyard flocks. It can lead to perforation or heavy metal disease. Xrays can help with seeing the metal objects.