Raising Earthworms For Chicks

[RyanAndMeri]

TMK - I don't know if you're teasing me, but I haven't seen a worm with tiny legs before. lol but I did read that they have little leg-like appendages that extend that push them through the soil. I guess I haven't paid close enough attention to the little buggers!

 

[digitS']

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I checked the Merck Veterinary Manual and they tell us that earthworms may also have parasitic nematodes as well as tapeworms. Scroll down the page and click on "Table:Common Helminths of Poultry." It is mildly interesting that earthworms are not listed on that table for the tapeworms.

Here's a real layman's supposition: if your birds are free-ranged and there are these parasites in the environment: they'll have 'em. "The life cycle of Capillaria may be direct ( C obsignata ), require an intermediate host such as earthworms ( C caudinflata ), or be either direct or use earthworms . . ." And, at least some of these critters are carried around by wild birds. The American robin (Turdus migratorius) is one of the hosts (heck, even it's scientific name suggest how it does that!

)

Don't count on this a idea: it looks like these particular parasites don't infect humans.

Steve

 

[frogdog]

I don't recall which magazine I read it in, but the person in the article raised worms under an elevated walkway in a greenhouse. I'm going to give it a try in one of the hoophouses. One of my worm-addicted hens will follow anyone holding a shovel. And people think chickens are stupid!

 

[CluckThis]

Mealworms are high protein and they love them. Go to the pet store and buy a small batch (live), put them in a fish tank with a couple of inches of oat bran, you can add some fruits or veggies that have a high water contain. they will eat the bran, grow, turn to beetles and reproduce. Also became a good science project. The chicks love them and fight over them when we give them treats. http://www.nyworms.com/mealworms.htm

 

[Ace_king_brahma]

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Black soldier flies don't sting or bite. They are harmless.

 

[Ace_king_brahma]

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The worms with "legs" you might be thinking of sandworms.

You can get them to multiply and I have done so before but, this is a new batch for me I just put them in their home 3 weeks ago.

As for the maggots I thought never as well but, recently since raising the mealworms and crickets I decided to try them. I plan to sale everything at my shop as live food and fishing bait so I'm getting over the creepy factor of most of the bugs used. Maggots are even used for fishing I've heard...spikes I think they are called.

 

[Ace_king_brahma]

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Backyard Poultry maybe. I think I saw that too.

 

[misty7850]

I raise worms & nightcrawlers for my husband & I to fish with. I have them in elevated bed by my garden. I make sure the soil doesn't dry out.. and feed them every few days. You can get regular nightcrawler or worm food from the store. I used to get it from Walmart, but now I just give them chicken mash. Tney also love coffee grounds.

 

[misty7850]

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Bubba
How do you raise pillbugs ?

 

[hobobrando]

If anyone is interested in raising worms you can buy kits through Bass Pro Shops you can also get the worms to fill yourkit through them. I believe they are nightcrawlers and earthworms not entirely sure. But if you grow them yourself you can pretty much be certain they are clean.