Sunshine is right. They do have taste buds. There are certain plant leaves like potatoes and tomatoes that are poisonous to them. One bite won’t kill them but if they eat much it can harm them. But those leaves taste bitter to them. They may take one bite (or a hard-headed one maybe two) but they don’t eat enough of those bitter tasting plant leaves to harm themselves.
All this talk of what they will or won’t eat reminds me of a story. A few years back I collected a small yogurt cup full of corn ear worms when I was harvesting the corn for canning. I dumped those worms out in front of a bunch of ten week old chicks that had been free ranging since they were 8 weeks old. Those chicks very very carefully started to move in on those worms. A worm wriggled! Run away! Run away!!!
Very very carefully a few of the brave ones started trying to sneak up on those worms. A worm wriggled! Run away! Run away!!!
This went on for a while. Eventually one of the chicks got close enough and pecked a worm. That’s all it took. That pile of worms was gone in just a few seconds.
I’ve had this type of experience regularly. It may be squash, tomatoes, greens, even corn or cabbage. Sometimes they attack it immediately. Sometimes they ignore it for a few days. But eventually one will try it and it will get eaten.
Don’t worry too much over it. If they don’t eat it immediately be patient. It may take them a while to try it.
All this talk of what they will or won’t eat reminds me of a story. A few years back I collected a small yogurt cup full of corn ear worms when I was harvesting the corn for canning. I dumped those worms out in front of a bunch of ten week old chicks that had been free ranging since they were 8 weeks old. Those chicks very very carefully started to move in on those worms. A worm wriggled! Run away! Run away!!!
Very very carefully a few of the brave ones started trying to sneak up on those worms. A worm wriggled! Run away! Run away!!!
This went on for a while. Eventually one of the chicks got close enough and pecked a worm. That’s all it took. That pile of worms was gone in just a few seconds.
I’ve had this type of experience regularly. It may be squash, tomatoes, greens, even corn or cabbage. Sometimes they attack it immediately. Sometimes they ignore it for a few days. But eventually one will try it and it will get eaten.
Don’t worry too much over it. If they don’t eat it immediately be patient. It may take them a while to try it.
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They won't eat worms or anything though! They don't like oats (warm or dry), tomatoes, boiled eggs (crushed of course). I'm running out of ideas for treats!!
