Author Topic: Think chickens have eaten copper slug tape... help pls (Read 4514 times)

Olly398 · « **on:** November 19, 2012, 10:19:56 am »

Hello, latest calamity

is that while we were away for a few weeks we suspect that the some of our 4 chickens have eaten copper slug tape which was wrapped around a big plant pot. Neighbours who were feeding said egg count was slightly low (one or two per day whereas prev we had two or three) and the tamest (daftest) one we grabbed and examined has a little lump in her crop.

Other than that they look fine and are eating and drinking okay. We'll keep an eye on them for a day or two...

Could the copper metal kill them, or poison the eggs?

Thanks

doganjo · « **Reply #1 on:** November 19, 2012, 12:05:45 pm »

I don't know the answer but this might help - http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/anifee/article/PIIS037784019601139X/abstract

Olly398 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 19, 2012, 01:43:16 pm »

Very interesting thanks! Your google fu is strong

By my estimation, if one chicken ate the whole lot of slug tape, they could have got up to 3g of pure copper in their crop. The top level used in the feed study was dosed at 800mg/kg feed, which would equate to the our bird absorbing the whole 3g over about a 4 week period, assuming that it still eats 150g feed per day and there is negligible additional copper in the feed (we use organic pellets). As we've been away for 3 weeks and the little lump in the crop is still there, this rate of absorbtion is probably a realistic worse case. So as long as the bird can tolerate it and it is not affecting digestion etc, it can probably live with it. When removed from exposure, levels dropped back although some birds exhibited liver damage.

Regarding the eggs, the interesting finding is that "the copper content of egg reached a maximum at 400 mg/kg dietary copper". So about 25 mg per egg. A quick google suggests that the RDA of copper is 1-5 mg for adults, and toxicity to humans generally involves daily doses of >15 mg. An Australian public health guidance note says "The provisional maximum tolerable daily intake for copper is 0.5 mg/Kg body weight (Joint Expert Committee on Food Contaminants and Additives), which corresponds to 30 mg of copper per day for an adult weighing 60 Kg."

In theory you could, if thirsty, get 10mg per day from drinking tap water (2 mg per L permissible standard) and another 15mg if you dined on veal liver....

So as a precaution we really should avoid the eggs until it is resolved.

doganjo · « **Reply #3 on:** November 19, 2012, 06:39:19 pm »

I'm a dinosaur with abbreviations though

What is my google fu?

jaykay · « **Reply #4 on:** November 19, 2012, 07:01:08 pm »

I wouldn't worry about the eggs, you're within tolerance even if that scenario did play out.

chrismahon · « **Reply #5 on:** November 19, 2012, 08:26:42 pm »

I think if your chickens live through it they are lucky Olly. Copper should oxidise, but I'm not sure what the acidity of the gut will do. The verdigris is inert at normal ph values and hopefully will allow the copper to pass through the gut unabsorbed. Next time, if there is one , I'm sure you will be more careful.

jaykay · « **Reply #6 on:** November 20, 2012, 08:28:55 am »

The thing is, who could predict that the chooks were going to eat it!

Olly398 · « **Reply #7 on:** November 20, 2012, 08:32:23 am »

Thanks for the advice. The birds are showing no ill symptoms, and this morning their crops all felt supple and empty. Obviously it would be hard to feel tiny limps of tape, buty at least they are not obstructed. They are eating and drinking as normal. Will keep an eye on them - but it could be that they've passed it already, or they didn't actually eat it and have trodden it down into their somme-like run (but we couldn't find much of it left).

Yes jaykay - I think the lesson is that they will try to eat ANYTHING, so keep them away from practically EVERYTHING!

This is of course easier said than done.

doganjo - fu is not an abbreviation, its a special power

chrismahon · « **Reply #8 on:** November 20, 2012, 07:38:12 pm »

Ours stripped all the heat protective foam off sections of polytunnel left on the lawn. Filled their little crops they did. So yes they will eat all sorts.