7.5 week-old chicks eating big earthworms they find in the ground?

[hanselong]

My 7.5 week-old chicks (EE, Silkie, Dorking) are now in a tractor in the backyard.

Shortly after putting them in the tractor, my Dorking found a really big earthworm (1 foot long, 1/4 inch diameter) and looked very happy about it. Of course my EE wanted her share so they ran around for a bit. Shortly after, I saw my Dorking with an earthworm that are as thick but nowhere near as long, so I don't know if it's a different earthworm or the original earthworm got ripped apart. Throughout all this, my Silkie just kind of watches off to the side...

I read that earthworms should have their head crushed first before being consumed by chicks so as not to cause injuries to the chicks... Should I be concerned?

As far as I can tell, my chicks are all still ok after that episode...

Thank you very much for your feedback/comment/suggestions!
Sincerely,

Hansel Ong

 

[The Chicken People]

Chicken Football!!
We love this game and your chicks are fine!

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Quote:
If it was needed to crush the heads first, then there would be no chickens left today. Or wild birds for that matter

 

[Whispering Winds]

That is one of those other worms . . .can't think of the name. Not mealworm, but a big ugly looking thing. Not that worms are cute, as a whole.

 

[PhilErvin]

Quote:
WOW !!

Sounds more like a snake to me. The earthworms we have around here are maybe 5 inches long and as big around as my shoe lace.

 

[hanselong]

Thank you very much for all the feedback, everyone! It's very reassuring to read they'll be ok

@PhilErvin: Yeah, it was ridiculously large. It seems that I have a few of such worms in my back yard thanks to years of haphazard backyard management that led to the growth of all sorts of weeds that overwhelmed the grass. That's the main reason I wanted chickens: Yardwork assistants

(my wife agreed because she wants eggs).

 

[Turner]

That is for the super worms (4 x bigger than mealworms)...huge with harder heads...but larger birds do not have a problem with them. Earth worms are all soft and break apart...they do carry parasites tho!

 

[hanselong]

@Turner: Oh earthworms carry parasites that could harm chickens? Would you happen to have a link to more information on this matter?

Thank you very much!
Sincerely,

Hansel Ong