eating ants?

[crystal94040]

My chicks are 2 weeks old. I've taken them outside two times....each time for less than 10 minutes.
Today they were all facinated by some fire ants...they started pecking at them but I was'nt sure if they CAN eat them??
I assume enough of them can kill a chick....but are chicks able to eat a few if I catch some and move them to where the chicks are?...they were so cute chasing the ants around...lol!

 

[allen wranch]

Keep your chicks away from the fire ants ! There are plenty of bugs around without encouraging them to scratch at fire ants and get them riled up.

A friend had two adult birds killed by fire ants. Another friend had several birds killed on the roost.

Find an organic fire ant killer and get rid of any mounds you find close to the house or coop.

 

[silkiechicken]

We don't have fire ants up here but it seems as the chickens get older, they are less fascinated by ants and prefer grubbier things like beetles and crickets. I hear fire ants are very dangerous though so I think it would be best to not encourage them to chase them down.

If you can jump on an ant hill and the ants just run in circles like they do here, no worries... I hear fire ants though . Poke a stick in their nest and run before your feet get swarmed.

 

[Gundyegg74]

It is not a good idea to let them eat fire ants.

 

[crystal94040]

ok no fire ants. We have lots of them here though :|
but luckily I'm a pro at killing them, so I'll make sure to get rid of them before we let the chicken out....we have lots of grasshoppers too though. They are so fast hopping all over, I can't even imagine a chicken being able to catch one....but I'm sure I'll see soon enough.

 

[Queen of the Lilliputians]

To be honest, my chickens have never been interested in eating ants at all. They watched them as chicks, but never seem to think they were on the menu.

I gave them a couple of beetles last week, and I guess those aren't on the menu, either! When you see them out free-ranging, it seems like anything is fair game, but apparently not. They seem to know what to eat and what not to.

Grasshoppers, though.. they are a YUMMY YUMMY treat!

-Meghan

 

[Frozen Feathers]

My chickens don't touch ants either, unfortunately. They are all over my backyard and in my driveway and I am not pleased. Luckily we don't have fire ants around here.

They do like Japanese beetles (you have to dunk them in cold water first or they'll fly away...I know I'm a meany to bugs), crickets, grasshoppers and other little creatures. They try to catch moths, but my chickens are too slow.

 

[PeiTheCelt]

Quote:
My Brahma roo, Shiva, got his name specifically because of how many crickets he can take. They're PLENTY fast to catch crickets..

(In Hindu mythology, the Divine is divided into 3, "Brahma - the creator", "Vishnu - the protector" and "Shiva - the destroyer" Shiva was named, well, Shiva because he is the destroyer of crickets).

(I am not Hindu, but it seemed appropriate to give him an Indian name because he is well, ya' know, a Brahma and all..

I mean *no* disrespect to any who do believe in the Hindi pantheon.)

 

[crystal94040]

Shiva was named, well, Shiva because he is the destroyer of crickets).


haha, How cute!