Nutritional value of ants.

[Tired old Rooster]

Please move this if it is the wrong part of the forum.

Does anyone know if ants are of nutritional value to a chicken? I ask, because where I live is infested beyond belief and my chickens pretty much do open cast mining when they find a nest. They sometimes dig a foot into the ground and leave a crater when they are done. Sometimes it turns into a group dust bath and ant buffet.

 

[Smokerbill]

Ant eaters seem to do pretty well eating ants, so I'd say they are great food for chickens. I found a nest once and the chickens loved the ant eggs most of all.

 

[Tired old Rooster]

Ant eaters seem to do pretty well eating ants, so I'd say they are great food for chickens. I found a nest once and the chickens loved the ant eggs most of all.

Almost feel bad for all those little ants trying to run away holding an egg on their head while some chickens feast on them. Like Godzilla with feathers.

 

[Qwerty3159]

Please move this if it is the wrong part of the forum.

Does anyone know if ants are of nutritional value to a chicken? I ask, because where I live is infested beyond belief and my chickens pretty much do open cast mining when they find a nest. They sometimes dig a foot into the ground and leave a crater when they are done. Sometimes it turns into a group dust bath and ant buffet.

I can’t speak on their nutritional value but I wouldn’t say they’re any worse or better than the average insect they might get their beaks on. The larvae/eggs in particular would be easily digested and packed with protein

 

[Perris]

Please move this if it is the wrong part of the forum.

Does anyone know if ants are of nutritional value to a chicken? I ask, because where I live is infested beyond belief and my chickens pretty much do open cast mining when they find a nest. They sometimes dig a foot into the ground and leave a crater when they are done. Sometimes it turns into a group dust bath and ant buffet.

"The insect has between 39.79 to 44.64% protein and about 42.07 to 49.77% fat content depending on the body part. The insect is also rich in iron, zinc, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus." https://www.researchgate.net/public..._Smith_from_the_Lake_Victoria_Region_in_Kenya

 

[Perris]

As it happens I have a broody and she spent much of yesterday with her 3 day old chicks on the terrace, as the ants had chosen yesterday as the day to fly. She was catching them, de-winging those with wings, and presenting the bodies to her brood to eat, in preference to everything else on offer here. By the afternoon the chicks were foraging black ants for themselves

 

[aart]

What kind of ants?

 

[Tired old Rooster]

What kind of ants?

One is a type of large black ant that like boring into trees, the other is a small type of black ant that seems common, like the ones who invade your sugar bowl. No idea of actual species.

 

[Qwerty3159]

One is a type of large black ant that like boring into trees, the other is a small type of black ant that seems common, like the ones who invade your sugar bowl. No idea of actual species.

The tree boring one has gotta be some kind of Camponotus or carpenter ant, they are native to Argentina too. I’d say these are near the top of the list of good ants for them to eat since they have a large body size and aren’t known for stinging biting etc