Feeding chicks worms?

[crazy4daisy]

Okay, right now our whole farm is under construction because of the chickies.

The other day I was digging a sort of trench thing to bury part of the fence (they say if you point the fence out and bury part of it, predators can't dig in). Anyway, I found a bunch of worms and was just thinking, would it be okay if I gave my little peeps a couple of worms to peck at? I picked some grass for them yesterday and thay loved it.

 

[CarriBrown]

Yep, worms are a nice treat for them. The adults gobble them right up, but my babies seem to play/kill them first before pecking them apart.

 

[Barnyard Dawg]

My chicks never really were fond of earthworms until they were older now they love them. I do feed them DE daily to help keep the risk of parasite and worm infestation to a minimum. Intestinal parasites (worms) are very common in chickens in the backyard type poultry flocks. The presence of a few parasites does not usually cause a problem. However, large numbers can have a devastating effect on growth, egg production, and over-all health. The concentration of parasite eggs in the chicken’s environment is one factor, which plays a major role in determining the severity of the infection. The chickens pick up the parasite eggs directly by ingesting contaminated feed, water, or litter or by eating snails, earthworms, or other insects (intermediate hosts) which can carry the eggs.

 

[crazy4daisy]

Thanks. I'll probably dig up a couple and give them to the chicks.

 

[robin416]

Do not feed your chicks earthworms you've dug up from the garden. Earthworms can carry the gape worm parasite that sets up housekeeping in the bird's crop. Chicks are especially susceptable to infection, as they get older they develop a better immunity to infestation.

 

[4H kids and mom]

My chickies love meal worms and wax worms I get from the feed store or pet supply store. I've only given them a few, but they love to dig them up out of their shavings and then run around proudly with their prize while being chased by everyone else whos trying to steal it! It seemed like they had alot of fun and got a good workout too.

 

[crazy4daisy]

I gave them about ten worms yesterday - they loved them! Chased each other around with the worms in their mouth - I love watching little chicks run - hehe they kind of waddle.

 

[eichenluft]

I have a broody hen who "accidentally" hatched out 3 of the eggs I stuck under her to make her happy (I didn't think they were fertile or would hatch in the middle of February) - yesterday I had just finished training my dogs, using cut-up hotdogs, and went in the barn to muck out the horse stalls - hen and chicks were in the stall with me, and just for fun I tossed her a piece of hotdog. She pounced on it like a cat, picked it up, and tossed it to one of the chicks who grabbed it and ran like hell to the other side of the stall. I tossed the hen another - she threw it to the second chick who ran with it to the other side of the stall - same thing with the third chick. Then she looked at me like "ok, where is mine?" - threw her one and she gobbled it up. I guess the hotdogs are kind of like worms - they loved them!


molly

 

[crazy4daisy]

Quote:
Whoops.....

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

I give my chickens worms all the time. They especially love the fat ones from the compost bin.