Feeding bugs

[ShrekDawg]

Anyone else feed bugs to their chickens?

I normally don't other than the occasional earthworm but have been lately.

This week I got a thing of medium crickets and like 25 or 35 medium worms at Petco (I can't remember if they were mealworms or superworms) and they LOVED them. Just devoured them. So the next day I went back and got more crickets, this time the large ones, the 70 pack medium worms, and 25 pack large worms (those things were huge) and they loved those too. They fought over the worms and it was a lot of fun watching them chase the crickets. In fact, there wasn't even really much chasing cause they caught them immediately.

Anyway, long story short, while it wasn't necessarily expensive per se, it certainly isn't cost effective to get such small amounts at retail price..

SO.

Today I ordered the chicken sampler pack from Rainbow Mealworms.

This is it. It's got quite the variety of stuff.

http://www.rainbowmealworms.net/chicken-sampler-pack/

Also got 50 small red earthworms.

http://www.rainbowmealworms.net/red-earthworms-1/

The earthworms I was thinking of putting in the compost pile when it gets warmer but I might feed them, idk.

Anyways, it already shipped! I am thinking the chickens will be VERY happy.

I obviously don't plan to feed them all at once though, especially after all the other bugs, but as an occasional treat.

Anyone else feed or raise bugs?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I've never gone out of my way to do so, but they pick up plenty on their own - it's all part of a natural diet for them. Well, I take that back, we actually have "gone out of our way" in that we would go out and turn over objects (feed tubs, jump rails, etc) in the pasture to expose the bugs underneath and/or turn over bits of soil here and there -- the chickens catch on FAST to follow you from place to place and wait for the buffet to open. But as far as purchasing bugs, no.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Yeah, I normally don't buy bugs but I happened to see them at Petco and figured they'd like him.

Mine don't get to free range that much, though I want to start more, so they don't really catch that many bugs.

When they're out they catch bugs though and they mostly notice when I dig soil up but mine are kind of stupid and don't seem to notice that much when I turn bricks and stuff.

But yeah, this is the first time I've bought bugs

 

[RPClark]

When the hoppers were in season, we gathered up 50-60 at a time and will hand feed the birds. They seem to enjoy it and it's made them very easy for us to be around them and herd them when we need to.

 

[ShrekDawg]

When the hoppers were in season, we gathered up 50-60 at a time and will hand feed the birds.  They seem to enjoy it and it's made them very easy for us to be around them and herd them when we need to.

I don't know how many grasshoppers we have here. I have seen a few around but never thought of catching them. The chickens sure do seem to enjoy bugs though

 

[centrarchid]

I am playing with insect cultures and use mealworms for training.


More significant insect sources come from multiple compost piles and allowing some vegetation in free-range area to grow taller. Insects collect there, some grow on site while many drift (walk, hop, fly) from surrounding areas.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I am playing with insect cultures and use mealworms for training.


More significant insect sources come from multiple compost piles and allowing some vegetation in free-range area to grow taller. Insects collect there, some grow on site while many drift (walk, hop, fly) from surrounding areas.

That's a good idea, I never thought about letting some grass/vegetation grow taller. Mine don't really seem to scratch around the compost pile much :/

 

[centrarchid]

That's a good idea, I never thought about letting some grass/vegetation grow taller. Mine don't really seem to scratch around the compost pile much :/

Mix some shell corn in. Also add some scraps to heap to decrease the C: N ratio.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Mix some shell corn in. Also add some scraps to heap to decrease the C: N ratio.

Thanks, I'll try that! I think they don't really know what's in there and it seemed kinda dead to me when I dug a bit once. I add lots of scraps to the top but I'll have to add more

 

[centrarchid]

You need moisture, carbon rich material, nitrogen rich material and oxygen all together. A little mixing helps.