Chickens won't eat insects - picky

[zer0dark30]

My two pullets will not eat ANY insects including flies, ants, crickets, grasshoppers, spiders, etc. but will eat grass, watermelon, and their crumble. Is there a way I can teach my chickens to eat insects?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

My chickens are not fond of flies, ants, or grasshoppers either.

 

[phryan]

They will learn in time, both what they like and how to catch it. Mine love grubs and worms, to the point they run to me when they see a shovel. They show little interest in ants but that could be due to their small size or bad taste. Most beetles also seem to be off the menu. Flys and grasshoppers may be too much work, but I have seen them take both occasionally.

I doubt you could 'train' them, other than maybe buy some crickets at a petstore and give it a try.

 

[beginnergirl]

My two pullets will not eat ANY insects including flies, ants, crickets, grasshoppers, spiders, etc. but will eat grass, watermelon, and their crumble. Is there a way I can teach my chickens to eat insects? :cd

If my boldest hen will try something, the others will too. I've hand fed them worms, grubs and dead flies. They love to try to snatch cabbage moths out of the air but only one hen is fast enough. Mine don't like rollie pollie bugs and ants. They ignore beetles.

 

[glib]

Bright colored insects are often toxic. Insects that try to hide are often good eating. Ants fill themselves with formic acid. Your chickens have a well trained taste.

 

[TLove99]

My birds wouldn't touch bugs for a while. Then they started playing with them but wouldn't eat them. Eventually they figured out that bugs make good eats. Now they gobble up anything they can catch.