What’s your opinion on Mealworms?

[628990]

Hello fellow chicken lovers!

I was wondering what everyone’s opinions are concerning the feeding of mealworms to chickens?

This thread might also possibly help others, find a lot of information/opinions in one place, concerning mealworms.

Do you feed a handful daily? Twice a week? Once a week?

Do you feed mealworms or soldier fly larvae?

Do you raise your own mealworms?

Do you feed live or dried mealworms?

Thanks to everyone who participates and adds their opinion!

Have a great week

 

[nuthatched]

Meal worms are treats and should be fed sparingly, four finger full, a a few time a week.
Soldier flies don't get touched here.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I don't use them anymore. Used to give them to the birds i brought to fair to make it not a completely horrible experience for them, but don't now that I'm done with 4H.

My friend will occassionally bring dried minnows for them when she visits, amd I've debated raising guppies for them, but thats very, very unlikely to happen

 

[WIchickMama]

I only feed them in the winter for some extra protein as they can't find any extra anything with all the snow

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Do you feed a handful daily? Twice a week? Once a week?
I just give them treats when I want to. Not too regularly.

Do you feed mealworms or soldier fly larvae?
mealworms

Do you raise your own mealworms?
no

Do you feed live or dried mealworms?
dry

 

[The Moonshiner]

Never have, never will.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Not worth the expense, mealworms or BSFL. Dried, as a concentrated protein source, the small benefit you get from the additional protein is dwarfed by the negative impact of all that fat. Even at just 10% (which is less than most *seem* to feed) of the diet by weight, they roughly double the daily fat intake on the typical commercial feed. If you happen to be feeding one of the organic, higher seed content feeds, or offering BOSS, or similar, you can easily push the bird's diet into fatty liver territory.

If they were near free, it might be an acceptable tradeoff, but with commercial feed running $0.25 - $0.44 per pound, and dried mealworms or BSFL easily over $1/lb even in bulk, the math doesn't seem to work.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

I’ve never fed mealworms to my flock.

In small amounts as a treat they’re fine, but they’re expensive and I’d rather feed them lower cost and lower fat treats.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Mine wont eat em

 

[Brooks_]

Have and will. But don't buy them anymore. The chickens are just as happy with the scratch/pellet mix or really anything.