Are 'Bad Worms' A Thing?

[casportpony]

So maybe they sense something wrong with it?

My chickens & ducks love them, but in the back of my mind, I know they can get cecal worms from them, so I keep de-wormers on hand.

Might have to get the on an "earthworm-free diet"; no more bock-bock sessions for the hubby

Store-bought mealworms are a great treat.

 

[nuthatched]

Sarcasm? Or what the heck is a ripe worm!?

Not sarcasm but joking.
Might just be bitter.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

I'll experience the same thing, when you turn over some earth or compost and there are 100 worms, and they pick and choose. I think they're just natural "browsers" and pick and choose. There may or may not be any rhyme or reason behind it.

For what it's worth, I've been letting my chickens eat their fill of worms for the 9 or so years I've been raising chickens, and never had an issue. Not saying that doesn't mean there's a chance it can happen, but it's also not a given.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Some of mine just don't like worms. They'll occasionally pick one up and taste it, but then drop it for another to snatch up.

 

[MrsNorthie]

in addition to talking to them like they speak human, we also try to speak chicken & my husband has become fluent in the "I found you some treats" bock-bocking that our roos do when they've found bugs to scratch for while roaming.

LOL I am glad that we aren't the only ones..lol I tend to spend about 4-5 hours a day, before and after work with my chickens and we have lengthy conversations. (I call this chicken therapy.) I have also given up all other social media except BYC and the occasional peek at FB, so that I can spend more time with my feathered friends.

 

[Tired old Rooster]

Only the genuinely hungry will gobble down anything

Clearly you've not met my big brother.

 

[DonyaQuick]

My question is, what would cause them not to eat one worm over another? Why wouldn't they just eat them all? Is there such a thing as a "bad worm"?

I don't have a "why" to add to this, but my chickens all do the same, even when worms are sparse. They will find one worm and eat it immediately, then find another and it's a big nope. Nothing to do with their diet or worm abundance as far as I can tell - not even the location of the worms since sometimes they will eat one and reject another right next to it. Could be a worm species difference; it's very hard to tell what they found when it's one they eat immediately, so I can't tell if the rejected ones are different.

 

[GigitheBackyardHerbilist]

So I've noticed that since we (my husband & I) are new to chickening, that we may have inadvertently taught/trained our OG chickens to some weird .... lets call them.... moodleroni traditions.

in addition to talking to them like they speak human, we also try to speak chicken & my husband has become fluent in the "I found you some treats" bock-bocking that our roos do when they've found bugs to scratch for while roaming. As soon as they see my husband with the shovel, they come running. He digs & upturns certain areas in the yard to expose worms & little bugs and they all have a great time. We've been doing this since they transitioned into their outside coop last year.

View attachment 3502107

Sometimes though, there'll be tons of worms, the chickens see them, sometimes do a short peck, but then they leave them to go find something else, and then other times the worms are eaten in the blink of an eye & they're left looking for more.

My question is, what would cause them not to eat one worm over another? Why wouldn't they just eat them all? Is there such a thing as a "bad worm"? I know it's not that they aren't hungry or something 'cuz they'll literally just leave it on the ground squirming after pecking it but eat a different one right next to it.

Any ideas? I can also tell my husband that it's just because he didn't 'bock-bock' correctly.

I've noticed that too, the ones mine are leaving are darker red and very wiggly and put their heads up more. I've noticed this a lot this spring and started paying attention. My chickens love when I turn dirt. Sometimes I just turn it for them. It's very peculiar.