I’m at a loss

[all_organic 0]

Hi all,

 

We've not posted before, so hello to everybody!

 

We've had our two chickens (Patience and Petunia) and their Eglu since September, and all has been well, absolutely no problems whatsoever.

 

Over the last week or so, though, they seem to have taken to eating their bedding. We use shredded paper (bills etc), as there's plenty of it here, and they've not touched it before but now it's all vanished within a couple of days .

 

 

Having searched the forum, I see others have mentioned this as well. Is it somethig to worry about, surely it can't be good for them?

 

They're both perfectly okay, eating and drinking normally, and laying too, and if it was a one off I guess I wouldn't worry, but it seems to be becoming a regular part of their diet!

 

Any thoughts?

[The Bantam of the Opera 0]

hello and welcome to the forum,

im afraid im not really sure about your problem but chickens eat all kinda of things like feathers and grit so im sure a bit of paper wont do them any harm. well, someone a bit more knowledgable might be along soon.

 

I just wanted to say hi

[Egluntyne 11]

Hello and welcome.

 

Mine used to eat their bedding when I used shredded paper.

 

It stopped me worrying about identity theft as I used old bank statements etc.

 

I use Aubiose now and they don't seem to eat that.

[lisa33 0]

Hi & Welcome to the Forum.

 

[jomaxsmith 0]

It stopped me worrying about identity theft as I used old bank statements etc.

It would take a very determined ID thief to search for info through paper _eaten_ by a chicken wouldn't it!!

 

Jo

[Ain't Nobody Here 4]

Can't say I've noticed my girls eating their bed . I will look for signs now.

 

Sorry can't help - just wanted to say hello .

[iChicken 0]

Hi and welcome to the forum. Someone recently posted that their chickens were eating sand which just passed through them so I can't see that paper will do them any harm.

[jos 0]

Hi, my speckeldies enjoy eating bits of woodshavings mixed in with their straw.... and they are in good health, so, hopefully, nothing to worry about.

[Richard 0]

Hi all,

 

Over the last week or so, though, they seem to have taken to eating their bedding. We use shredded paper (bills etc), as there's plenty of it here, and they've not touched it before but now it's all vanished within a couple of days .

 

 

Any thoughts?

 

Hi, and welcome.

 

Mine eat bits of the shredded paper I bed them on. they don't eat it all, but then, I do use a lot! But I often find them eating it.

 

doesn't seem to cause them any problems

[chelsea 0]

I have seen my lot occasionally eat bits of hemcore, also eaten playsand that I put in their homemade dustbath. Didnt have any affect. Isnt it strange that chickens seem to know what they can and cant eat?!!

[Nicola O 0]

Hi quinandcolin

 

My three ex-batts go mad for shredded paper, when cleaned out and with fresh paper in the poop tray and nest it would all be gone in just a few hours.

 

I've changed back to straw for the time being, but still line the tray with a few sheets of paper for ease of cleaning and the chooks now shove their heads between the roosting bars, tear off bits of paper to eat .

 

For some reason they just love it and so far it hasn't done them any harm.

 

Nicola

[all_organic 0]

Thanks for the advice all, thy seem to have left the paper alone over the last few days - must have been a strange phase they were going through!

 

And thanks for all the welcomes.

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everybody.

[Tiggy 0]

mine eat it too!!

[farrowy 0]

When I tried to put a dust bath in the run for the girls they liked to eat that instead They are funny things aren't they

[Tiggy 0]

my 2 from omlet always pecked at the shredded paper bedding but my new additions - ex batteries have devoured the whole lot in just 2 days!! they seem to be OK though