Bare with this odd idea

[CARS]

I've been reading over the years about people raising worms to feed their chickens. Some raise earthworms in compost, some meal worms in a rubbermaid container.

I know why, protein. But here is my obscure idea.

Could worms live in deep litter over winter IN the chicken coop/pen??

It would give the worms food, it should stay fairly warm in most climates, and it would give the chickens so much fun.

The only thing I can think of to stop this from working besides the extreme cold is moisture. I'm sure worms need moisture and our bedding does not.

Thoughts?

 

[gryeyes]

They wouldn't last long - the chickens would pick 'em off as they grew.

 

[FireTigeris]

unless to designed like a cricket dispenser that only the adults could 'escape' ... to be eaten...

 

[Organics North]

I have thought the same thing. I think it could work if the litter was deep enough. Worms come up at night while chickens are sleeping and so on.

I have compost worms.. What threw the brakes on hard for me is the possibility of ground worms ie red or compost worms being a carrier for parasitic worms such as Gape... I guess I would consider it a bit of a risk because it is such a closed loop system of the worms eating the chickens droppings and then the chickens eating the worms.

Sounds awesome, and I need to learn more about this subject. For know my compost worms only get vegetable matter, then I give just a few to the chickens, and they are mostly in the potted lettuce the chickens get after we are done with them. (Yes the chickens get the dirt, bugs worms roots and all and love it!) (Yes potted in home made organic soil.)

If I could feel confident that Gape or other parasitic worms would not be a problem I would be all over your idea. Super cool little eco system you could create..

ON

 

[sciencechick]

Generally a cool idea

But I'm with ON on the parasite issue. I'd be worried about that.
And then I guess the worms need more moisture than you would like to have in your coop...

Neat idea, though

 

[chookchick]

I have a good thick layer of basically compost in my run, and I can tell you, there are not a lot of worms in it! The chickens dig through it constantly, and grab anything that looks remotely edible. My run is made out of a thick layer of wood chip, which I pretty much change out twice a year. I often throw in piles of leaves, many of which are already decomposing and full of worms--and they go nuts over this! I also add piles of weeds, and garden leftovers, which don't last long. Alfalfa hay was my latest addition, which was a big mistake as it got wet, matted down and gross!

So the idea of worms living long enough to actually reproduce has been a non-starter. At times I put down a piece of wood, leave it for a while, then pull it up for them to dig through, so that works for a few worms (that is--about 10 minutes!)

Regarding the worm infestation--I long ago realized that the probability of me being able to keep them from eating any bug, worm, or beetle at all was about zero, and really not the natural way. I have to depend on their immune system being strong, and keeping an eye out for problems. What would be ideal is if I had two runs, and could let one go fallow for a year to kill off host-dependent pests. But short of that, I clean out most of the litter twice a year and replace it, as well as continually adding to it, so at least they are not walking in poo all the time.

Cleopatra in the run

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Good idea if they wouldn't just eat them all and you wind up back to square one.

 

[ArizonaNessa]

I would be concerned that the moisture would cause mildew and mold to set up in the bedding which could be setting your birds up for some pretty nasty little diseases.

 

[fancbrd4me02]

After this big rain I turned the straw in my main run and it was full of earthworms. Chickens really loved it and it got them motivated to aerate the straw. I think that it would have to bee too wet to maintain a worm population year round.