feeding chickens red worms?

[SandraMort]

how hard is breeding earthworms for bad weather food supplementation? how well do they work for vermicomposting?

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Red wigglers are easy to breed and work great for vermicomposting. There are a lot of web sites on this topic, if you google it. Bins can be small or large, homemade or purchased. You can use a lot of different things for bedding and a lot of different things for food.

Nightcrawlers are a little different. They can also be cultured, but they live in burrows, in soil.

Some people also culture mealworms and crickets. There are threads on the forum for those, too, if you do a search.

 

[Lobzi]

Since red worms dont seem to go over too well with most chickens , has anyone tried to raise mealworms? I guess all chickens like that type of worm.

 

[backintime]

My chickens love the red worms I bought for vermicomposting! When I throw one in the run, they all stare at it for a minute and watch it wiggle. As soon as one chicken makes a move to check it out, they all lunge at it and play a game I call "Indy 500" running around in circles. So funny - the one with the worm could just EAT IT but instead they run around frantically with the worm dangling and swinging around while all the others try to TAKE IT. Hilarious to watch! I try to make sure everyone gets a worm. . . but the fastest chicken always wins!

 

[wilds of pa]

Some eat them and some dont..Just remember to keep all your birds on a good worming program at least twice a year...

Charlie

 

[basicliving]

Quote:
I just ordered 1000 mealworms from wormguy.com I'm planning to raise them for the chickens. I've done vermicomposting in the past, and it was really easy. Sounds like mealworms may be even easier. The only thing that gave me pause was the fact that they turn into beetles, but I can get past that. I'll let you know how it goes.

Penny