Straw eating ex batts..

untouchable · Post by **untouchable** » 08 Feb 2009, 12:07

It seems my newest ladies feel they have to eat all the straw I put in their nestbox..

Is this OK?

stace · Post by **stace** » 08 Feb 2009, 12:28

I dont think the straw will harm them i dont think mine eat it?? Never really looked

Only thing i would worry about is their crop really, i dont think this is helping you a great deal Untouch, i hope someones will come along with an answer for you!

Stace

Julia · Post by **Julia** » 08 Feb 2009, 14:55

Most odd.

They are actually eating it and not just having it in their beaks as they re-arrange it are they?

spudley · Post by **spudley** » 08 Feb 2009, 15:38

it is odd. MIne will shovel nearly anything they can into them, but I have never noticed them eating it. Like Julia said, are they eating it or just sifting it about a bit?

dogcatcher · Post by **dogcatcher** » 08 Feb 2009, 17:04

I use chopped straw in the coops and the ex-batts eat that quite happily especially the muddy bits that they have dropped in the run.

julie2 · Post by **julie2** » 08 Feb 2009, 17:37

When i was poo picking this morning one of mine had a longish bit of straw in her beak and she was trying to wipe it off but she couldn't, so I pulled it of and half of it was down her throat, I finished poo picking etc and she had it again, and again I got it out and some of it was down her thoat. I felt a bit worried about it realy, what if she chocked, then i thought she probly does it when i dont see any way. I had to think this otherwise I would be woyyying all day.

untouchable · Post by **untouchable** » 08 Feb 2009, 19:36

No, they are deffo eating it as I have to keep adding more lol

I havent actually seen these with any straw in their beaks, so they must get peckish in the night and eat it then?

Post by **p.penn** » 08 Feb 2009, 21:00

julie2 wrote:When i was poo picking this morning one of mine had a longish bit of straw in her beak and she was trying to wipe it off but she couldn't, so I pulled it of and half of it was down her throat, I finished poo picking etc and she had it again, and again I got it out and some of it was down her thoat. I felt a bit worried about it realy, what if she chocked, then i thought she probly does it when i dont see any way. I had to think this otherwise I would be woyyying all day.

Funny that - fot he first time ever today the same happened to me. I had to pull it out. I'm sure it must happen when we are not looking.

I have often wondered if mine actually eat some of their straw bedding as it does seem to get less and less. Could just be where I poo pick though.

lou · Post by **lou** » 10 Feb 2009, 10:35

Very strange my new exbatts are doing the same, they are eating shavings and straw, i don't know how many times i have pulled straw from down their throat :shock:

My others who i have had 10 months never ever do this
confused>

denise · Post by **denise** » 16 Feb 2009, 12:02

Just a bit of a warning to those that are eating the straw, be very careful of impacted crop - see back from the vet thread.

DJ has developed a habit of doing it and has had 2 impacted crop ops now because of it.

Denise

julie2 · Post by **julie2** » 20 Feb 2009, 20:53

denise, I was worried about that. When I looked out of the window yesterday, I saw the same girl cum-cwot sitting on the branch in the run (the others were in the garden) I saw she was eating straw again, its only her. But I went straight down and got all the straw out of the coop and run, they have 2 nest boxes, I left one with straw in, and put shreaded paper in the other. The funny thing is, I locked them out of the run when i was removing the straw, and they were wooping at me to let them in. When I did (not untill i had finished) Lola went straight into the coop and saw the shreded paper in the nest box, and she was scared of it.She picked a bit up droped it, squarked and ran off.This morning there were no eggs in this box, three in the straw one. Probely 'cum-cwot' wont bother with the straw as theres hardly any left now. I will wait and see. This sounds )th(

But she looked like she was sucking it like a dummy.

untouchable · Post by **untouchable** » 27 Feb 2009, 11:27

Just an update to this, my newest ex batts have stopped eating it now...it deffo was happening at bed time because I now have them all in the shed at night where there is no straw, just easibed on the floor and I cover up the nest boxes for the night (saves pooey eggs in the morning)

So it must have just been a phase they went through when they first 'came out'