Have you ever wondered what your chickens are eating when they are free ranging? Well, they eat anything they can find. Yes, normally they eat bugs, seeds and some plants but often they also ingest shiny objects like screws, rocks and other mineralized objects. It is very important to watch your chickens so they do not become ill from eating things they are not supposed to. Sometimes the shiny items they eat contain lead and they can become very sick. Signs of lead toxicity can be weight loss, lethargy and sometimes seizures. Chickens can be treated for lead toxicity and have a complete recovery. We can test chicken blood (and other pet blood) for lead right at our hospital with our in-house lead analyzer. Results are reported within 30 minutes! For more information on caring for chickens click here.