Earwigs?

[chkn]

Thems chickens needs their eyes examined.

I'm not sure they see them too well if the coop is dark.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

This is the most curious thread I've seen in some time. Really, your chooks don't like earwigs? My chickens will knock you over trying to get to them. Are you certain those birds you have are chickens?

Wow, I just can't imagine. Ibicella was right on, they are not a danger. They mostly eat detritus and other insects, some species eat plants. I don't believe they are in any way harmful to your chickens. Of course they need all the right conditions to survive: lots of detritus, other insects and, most importantly, moisture. If you want to get rid of them (I'm not entirely sure why you would) remove the things they need to survive and their numbers will drop rapidly. Whenever I'm in the yard and I move a pot or something that's been sitting for a while, I have the chooks come stand around and they rush in to snap them all up from where the earwigs were hiding underneath.

 

[3rocksandme]

Earwigs live in wet, rotting areas. Something must be mucky somewhere if they are all over your coop. We have them in our yard and our chickens love them!

 

[libbyhan]

I have to say that since my original post, my chickens DO like earwigs a bit more. I clear them out of the window track at night and several of the chickens run over to eat them- waiting for them to fall. Only 3 of the chickens have caught on that the banging noise means earwiggy snacks.


We added the nest boxes yesterday (ladies- an egg would be NICE. Anytime now!) and when DH took the panel off the coop, the corner was PACKED with earwigs. The chickens were out front, so they missed out. I just don't understand how my 6 chickens live in a coop infested with earwigs. Maybe when it's cooler and they aren't free ranging as much, the earwigs will pay the price.

 

[chicmom]

Yep, this sure has been the year for lots of earwigs. My chickens just love them! I took the door off of the back of the coop to clean it on my smaller A-frame, and earwigs were all along the edges of the door, so I knocked 'em down and called the girls. It was like a FEEDING FRENZY! They gobbled them up!

 

[mikki717]

It is my opinion that birds learn what is good to eat from their parents. I have a Green cheeked Conure that will never eat anything new unless she sees me eating it first, and offering her a bite from my lips. (Needless to say she will never eat a mealworm or earwig!!...)

That being said, when my chicks were little, it took several tries for me to teach them to eat something new. For worms and bugs, I use my fingers to "scratch" and peck at a yummy morsel.

Kind of like a rooster does when he finds something good! I have even been known to cluck excitedly while pecking. Do you have any gummi worms?

There is also a huge "Chicken see... Chicken do" attitude. If one eats it, the others will try it.

 

[TheChickenShrink]

Earwigs are candy for our chicken too. Anyone who picks up a rock or lifts a piece of wood in our yard will be charged and promptly surrounded by our wild bunch of ladies - better surrender them those earwigs...

Pierre

 

[andythescot]

I think I figured out the problem... In the back of the coop where the floor meets the wall there were some gaps where the rain water was coming in and it literally composted some of the bedding! The earwigs were mostly back there and are usually in the cracks of the egg door, and I solved THAT problem with another coat of paint.

And as for the girls not eating the earwigs? I think I just have messed up chickens. They don't even like worms.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Quote:
Hi Andythescot, My girls don't like earthworms either. That is weird. I have a funny update from my earlier post. I was cleaning out the coop last evening and down in the crevices between the ground and the foundation were.....tons of EARWIGS!!!

I'm starting to think that since my birds spend so much time outside the coop/run that they don't forage much in there. It's almost like they have to be in the right context for eating. Anyways, it made me laugh.

 

[honeydoll]

You have too many and I am disappointed because we had two large nests of them in our run, on top of the enclosure and my chickens have eaten them all up. I am hopeing for another nest or two. We get them in the coop every once and awhile too. I would go out and smack the top of the run and the earwigs would fall down and my chickens would have a feast. They loved them! I swear they thought it was manna from heaven.