Can i feed earth worms?

[thechickman04]

ok i already feed my chickens meal worms for treats but its alot easier to find and buy earth worms like night crawlers and red wigglers....i was wondering if i could give my chickens earth worms as a treat.

 

[brooster]

WHY NOT?! they eat them in the wild

 

[thechickman04]

good point brooster...i guess i didnt think

haha

 

[K&H Chicken Farm]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=35373

 

[patandchickens]

be aware they are the intermediate host for some things like gapeworms. I do not know how many chickens actually get gapeworms, I'm just sayin'. Of course free-range and tractored chickens eat gazillions of worms and mostly survive.


Pat

 

[AK-Bird-brain]

Its fun for the whole family..... jsut throw your flock 1 worm and watch them play keep away.

 

[pips&peeps]

I have heard that earthworms can carry blackhead.

 

[AK-Bird-brain]

never heard that myself, but i'll start asking some other folks who are more nowledgeable of worms than I am.

 

[AK-Bird-brain]

I did some more checking and worms (like common earth and compost) can carry gapeworms. they can pick them up from contaminated soils that they live in.

So IMO if your raising worms in bins (like I do) they are ok to feed your flock.
If your picking them out of the garden they could be carriers but then again if the worm is a carrier its already in your soil so its to late to do anything but worm your flock anyhow so you might as well give them the treat.

Just my $0.02

 

[Gonzo the Great]

Wow, great info here folks!

I guess you can just give the soil-borne worms to your flock, ante up the water with ACV and just keep the bedding clean. This is my first flock (4 BRs, 2 BOs, 2 RIRs, a silkie and a friz-silkie) so I am just feeding them whatever.