what would happen if they ate a packing peanut?

[sheeshshe]

My lovely 4y old DS threw packing peanuts out in the yard which scattered everywhere. We keep finding pieces in the house as well. Well for some reason packing peanuts are chick magnets! I keep finding them fighting over packing peanuts and trying to ingest them. I seem to catch them just in time, thank goodness. but in the event that they do manage to swallow one, what is going to happen and what can I do to help them when or if it does happen?
Thank you!

 

[baltimoreharps]

With a chick, I'm not sure, but with my adult birds that went after the packing peanuts that got scattered in the yard when they blew out of the dump truck located in the yard that should've been moved weeks ago by the landlord

, the girls were just fine.
I was grossed out at how fast they gobbled them down

but no harm done!

 

[ArizonaNessa]

For some reason styrofoam (sp?) gets chickens all excited. I have had mine get into it before and it just passed and they were fine but then again they were grown birds. Hopefully your chicks will be fine.

 

[sheeshshe]

LOL! what IS it with the styrofoam because you're right they get all excited over it! like chase each other for it!

I hope they don't ingest any! boy do they fight me about me taking it away though!

 

[PurpleChicken]

I pretty sure they just pass it. Mine have devoured pieces and didn't
get sick.

 

[sheeshshe]

gosh, who woulda thunk! I would have thought it could be deadly or something. I'm going to be super careful still, but it makes me not feel so paranoid. thank you!

 

[MadDanEccles]

Bear in mind that "packing peanuts" (I've always called them "Squibblies", dunno why) can be made of different things. The white polystyrene ones, normally S shaped, would definitely be something to avoid. However the cylindrical greyish ones (that look like pale Wotsits if you're from the UK) are made of corn starch. They're fine to eat, although as much fun as cardboard. The way to test for the latter is to spit on them. If they shrivel up, they're the starch ones.

 

[ArizonaNessa]

All I can think of is this person out in the yard picking up packing peanuts one by one and spitting on them. Starch, starch, no starch, starch, no starch

 

[texaschick-a-dee]

You must've not let your chickens watch the movie "Bolt". They would know that those styrofoam peanuts are evil.

 

[SpringChickens]

I was reading your title and thinking of the poor, poor little roos which something ate!!!

Did her dog eat it? Her older chickens? Poor little roo!!