Extra treat/feed for Chickens - Dubia roach nymphs?

[Naamahbengals]

So I breed Dubia roaches for my bearded dragons. Dubia roaches are a large roach species who's nympbs (young) are very fat, soft-bodied, and highly nutritious. They don't bite, don't fly, and don't have any diseases - we raise them in sterile bins in the 'craft / reptile room' of the house. Well, we only have 2 young beardies, and our roach population is doing *great*... so we have waaaay more nymphs than we need pretty much all the time.

So - do you think they would be good for the chickens? I figure, they eat bugs naturally, so these fat little guys would be good for them. (And you know what they are fed? Chicken layer feed + calcium, lol. Perfect, right?) I could just put them in a large no-tip metal dog bowl (that they couldn't climb out of). Any thoughts?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I think they'd be great.
Some people just throw mealworms and crickets into the bedding in the coop to give the chickens something to keep them busy.

 

[missy_cbell21]

I feed off any extra males to my chickens. They do fine with the larger roaches but just in case I put them in a sealed container in the freezer for about an hour. Just to make sure the chickens can catch them.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I feed off any extra males to my chickens. They do fine with the larger roaches but just in case I put them in a sealed container in the freezer for about an hour. Just to make sure the chickens can catch them.

Had to laugh when I read this as I froze several gallon bags of cicada's this past summer for the girls. I'd collect them in the morning and that bag would be noisy and loud until I put it in the freezer. And the freezer would get quieter . . . and quieter yet . . . and then . . . Silence.

They froze just great and I'd let them thaw a bit before giving them to the girls. A great summer protein snack that we managed to extend well into autumn!

 

[TxChick77]

I know this is old, but I'm so happy to see. I also breed dubias for my son's (the things we moms do for our kids)bearded dragon and my colony had exploded. Tyler (our BD) has hit adult hood and his insect diet has drastically dropped compared to his juvenile days.

So happy I've obtained new little mouths to give them to.

 

[TxChick77]

Duhhh...forgot to add my question. At what age can you start feeding them insects? Ive got 3day olds right now, so I'm thinking several weeks still

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You might have to chop them up but a mother hen would feed them insects when she takes them from the nest.

 

[TxChick77]

@ChickenCanoe thanks so much. And bring that I'm very new to chickens and starting out with day olds, when would a mother hen do that? *hiding under my chair*

 

[enola]

Mother hens will feed their chicks insects from day one. If the insects are too big Moma chicken will pound them on ghe ground to break/mash the bug into edible portions.

The chicks will need grit to grind up the hard parts of the insects.

 

[TxChick77]

Thanks for the reply. So if I give themnpieces of roaches, go ahead and start grit.