Can they eat too many meal worms?

[Salixx]

I’ve had my babies less than a week and it already seems like forever (in a good way)!

All of them were very flighty and hand shy. The older chicks still are but will at least come to me for food - handling is another matter.

I’ve been using mealworms to buy their love. The younger birds I have been teaching to step on my hand then I raise them out of the brooder and give them a mealworm.

Getting to that point and desensitizing th to me has resulted in a lot of mealworms being doled out. I started feeding them earthworms the first day I had them and have been making sure they have access to grit in addition to feed and water. But is there a point where there’s too many mealies? I’m not a huge fan of the corn based diets of commercial foods so I want to supplement but I am also a newbie and don’t want to over do it.

I am also at the point where I am pretty sure two of my bantams and 8 of the full sized fowl that I bought are all Easter eggers - they’ve got slate green feet and no cheek poofs. Now only one of my chipmunks is left as a question. I’ve named it Ginger for obvious reasons. It’s next to one of the big ones with the green feet.

for any who might be concerned, the chicken wire is for an outdoor, supervised only play pen. They were able to fit through all my other fencing. If I’m not able to watch them then they go back to their respective brooders

Because I really wanted Golden Laced Wyandottes I ended up ordering more chicks from Meyers to be delivered in July. Six GLW female, two males, a female Golden laced Polish (they only had one for the hatch date) and six strait run mixed silkies. The S/O is in love with the three silkies we have so we had to get more.

I have a problem

 

[CluckerFamily]

I personally choose to not give treats until they are out of the brooder, I make sure they get all the nutritions they need from their feed.
When they are a little older I will give treats but only a little so that they still get all the nutrients from their feed.

 

[Folly's place]

These babies need their balanced diet!!!
Meal worms, or any treats, are meant as goodies only, not as a big part of their daily food intake. Like feeding children candy and French fries, and expecting good results...
In general, chickens are not motivated to be cuddly lap pets like puppies or kittens, so learn to enjoy them for who they are, and if any decide to be held, that's fine, but most won't.
Mary

 

[Salixx]

While I can understand and fully acknowledge the possibility of feeding too much of a specific food to the chicks (this is my original question) and not meeting all of their nutritional needs, I can’t get on board with calling mealworms and other live insects the equivalent to junk food for children. Insects and other invertebrates are chalk full of vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and proteins. Not to mention the good mental stimulation that comes from hunting and keeping live prey.

Live insects are part of the diet of wild fowl of all types whereas corn and soybean meal are not yet we readily accept that it is acceptable feed. . At the end, I’m not trying to get cuddly lap birds but I do want birds that I can handle, clean and feed without them having the stress that comes with fear of death every time I do so.

I would feed a raw diet to my dogs if it was affordable and I had the space to do so. I’m not convinced that commercially prepared diets are always the best option to feed animals - just sometimes the only option, with or without supplementation.

 

[Folly's place]

Meal worms are high in fat, which is why feeding too many can be a problem.
French fries have some nutritional value too, but then there's the fat and salt...
Mary

 

[topochico225]

Treats should not exceed 10% of the birds' diet. I had a pullet die of Fatty Liver Hemorrhagic Syndrome from getting too many mealworms.

 

[Salixx]

Treats should not exceed 10% of the birds' diet. I had a pullet die of Fatty Liver Hemorrhagic Syndrome from getting too many mealworms.

Thanks for the info. After that first day I’ve only been giving them each one when I move them from the brooder to the pen and back again. At most they are each getting 3-4 then some dried black soldier fly for hunting in their pen (a handful or so for 16 chicks).