Earth Worms

[Stepnout]

When I was a young lad, 50 years ago my neighbor had quite a few laying hens. I suspect they were RIR from what I remember. As neighbor kids we used to dig worms and feed them to the hens.
I have been digging worms for my 6 pullets but they are not interested. They peck at them a little bit but never eat them. I’ve put the worms on the grass, in my hand, in the grit box but they never eat them. Worms are a great source of protein, they’re just not interested. I’d love them to enjoy the extra protein.
I suppose they aren’t hungry enough to start eating them.
What are your thoughts?

 

[SueT]

Mine love worms of all kinds, including earthworms.

 

[Stepnout]

Any ideas of how to get the girls to eat worms?

 

[Hyper_Chicken05]

Any ideas of how to get the girls to eat worms?

Mine hate worms too, For some reason they just aren’t interested in them. I even put a worm in ones mouth, She gobbled it up, And she hasn’t eaten a worm since. Some flocks will not take interest in food that others do. For some reason mine hate worms but love snails, And for another flock I know it’s the exact opposite. Maybe your flock just isint in to worms, Not every chicken likes worms.

 

[Stepnout]

Mine hate worms too, For some reason they just aren’t interested in them. I even put a worm in ones mouth, She gobbled it up, And she hasn’t eaten a worm since. Some flocks will not take interest in food that others do. For some reason mine hate worms but love snails, And for another flock I know it’s the exact opposite. Maybe your flock just isint in to worms, Not every chicken likes worms.

Wow go figure. When it rains here my paved driveway has hundreds of earth worms and night crawlers on it just a shame to let them go to waist.
You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink. Or is that you can bring a chicken a worm but they really could care less. Lol

 

[LittleMissCountry]

I don't know how old your pullets are, but mine were not interested in bugs or worms, other than the occasional spider, until they were around 12 to 14 weeks old. Then they would try to catch bugs out of the air. We haved a paved driveway as well and they go crazy getting worms after it rains.

 

[townchicks]

I found that some foods just take repeated exposure to, before they think of it as food. Do they like mealworms? If so, maybe mix a few smaller earthworms in with a few mealworms. Anyway, they are all individuals with their own preferences, but I suspect as they get older, they'll try them.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Some of mine gobble up worms, some don't.

 

[Stepnout]

I don't know how old your pullets are, but mine were not interested in bugs or worms, other than the occasional spider, until they were around 12 to 14 weeks old. Then they would try to catch bugs out of the air. We haved a paved driveway as well and they go crazy getting worms after it rains.

They are multiple ages 2 soon to be 21 weeks the others are between 15 and 18. They love bugs

I found that some foods just take repeated exposure to, before they think of it as food. Do they like mealworms? If so, maybe mix a few smaller earthworms in with a few mealworms. Anyway, they are all individuals with their own preferences, but I suspect as they get older, they'll try them.

I’ll keep trying thanks

 

[Chickassan]

They carry roundworms anyway so it is kind of good they won't eat them.