Black Widow for breakfast

[ssteiner]

I was working out back this morning and discovered a black widow spider in a corner of the hens' run. When they find her, they will eat her. Is this okay?

Scott

 

[insiderart]

Interesting!

 

[what eggs]

found a link about black widows
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=107

Mine ignore spiders and caterpillars but if you are concerned maybe relocate her to an area outside the run.?

 

[Garden Gal]

I'm all for live and let live, and will take crickets outside if they get in my house... but if a venomous creature of any variety is seen close enough to do me or mine harm, they get a quick one way ticket to the big compost heap in the sky....

 

[Tala]

I'm all for spiders, since they eat bugs, even if I find one in the house I will put it back outside but Black Widows are the exception. I would make SURE it got killed.

 

[Mrs. Glassman]

Spiders of any type freak me out...but when you add venom, it's really got to go.

I wouldn't think that it would be able to bite the chicken, but I'm no expert. I say kill it, and worry no more.

"compost heap in the sky" That cracked me up!!

 

[luvmychicknkids]

Well, ALL spiders have venom, some more worrisome than others. I am pretty sure chickens can eat Black Widows without harm. I would relocate her to protect the spider, personally, but that's just me.

 

[Mahonri]

Me, I'd dispatch the spider. Wouldn't let my chickens take a chance with it... but my chickens go for flies and bees!

 

[simplyscrambled]

I was cleaning up the yard last week-end, and out of the rind of a pomegranate, out fell a big Black Widow. About 1" across, including legs. My two young hens tend to follow me around the yard while I'm weeding, learning that where Mom pulls up weeds, out tumble bugs. I stood there, and started silently calling for a hen! Sure enough, within seconds, one of them came, and dispatched it with 4 or 5 pecks. Never showed any ill effects whatsoever.

I wish I could train them to let me hold them, and walk around the house, and stand next to all the spiders I'd like them to dispatch! There are thick here. Years ago I went to use a payphone in the next town, and there were 4 humongous Black Widows sitting in webs down the side. I swear, like 2" across and huge, bulbous bodies! Bleh!!

 

[rhondapiper]

Ugh, I went to change the poopy towels in my peeps brooder this morning and when I lifted them up, an enormous hairy spider carrying an egg sac scurried out at me.

I like spiders, all but brown recluses and black widows, and this hairy momma was neither. So I scooped out the chicks and trapped her in a container, then put her on the front porch where she can hopefully raise her babies to eat some of the flying bugs out there.

I live in the woods and need all the help I can get for keeping bugs out of the house.

But my peeps were sorely disappointed.

The wild key west chickens feast on scorpions, so I think they can probably handle poisonous spiders.