Finicky chickens?

[ccabal]

Hi all,
I have 4 pulets that I've been raising since May. I was expecting them to eat all kinds of bugs for me, but they seem to be very careful and finicky about the bugs they eat. Somethings like earthworms, and grubs they seem to eat after picking at it, and beating it a few times, but other critters they wont eat, it seems, especially certain bugs and beetles. Even some moths that I catch for them they are very careful about and sometimes don't eat.
I have a garden, and grow squash, pumpkins, and other plants. I have a lot of cucumber beetles. The chickens dont seem to like them. They will peck occasionally, but then drop them and move on. I have also given them Squash Vine Borer moths, and they are also very hesitant with them. They will eat their caterpillars that I extract from the vines. And stink bugs, the wont even touch. Is this normal? Its a bit disapointing because the bugs I want them to get rid of the most they wont eat. Are my chickens spoiled? Are they too "chicken" of bugs?

-Christian

 

[iheartnh]

I'm sure someone with more experience will comment, but I think it's normal. My chickens won't eat ants, which was pretty disappointing for us because we have a carpenter ant problem and there's a ant's nest inside their run (by design). They don't seem too impressed with beetle-y things, but will fight like zombies over worms and moths.

 

[lazy gardener]

How old are your chickens? My girls are 5 months old now, and the older they get, the more they expand their repertoire. They now fight over snails, of course they eat earth worms, but occasionally they'll get an earth worm that they just won't eat (strange, huh?) They eat squash bugs, cucumber beetles... won't touch a stink bug... who can blame them there... the name says it all. If I open up an ant nest, they go ape over the larvae, eggs, pupae and winged queens. They eat the ants as they see them, but they prefer the other nest tenants! They love grass hoppers and crickets, chow down about a cup of Japanese beetles/day (from my trap and my hand catching), and have just started eating small slugs... but won't touch the big ones.

 

[lazy gardener]

You might try holding back their crumble/pellets for a couple of hours so that they're hungry enough to want to eat those bugs.

 

[ccabal]

I raised them from chicks back in May, so that would make them 3 months old... yeah, I guess they are still kids.
I was wondering if, like you say, part of it is their age. Just like human kids are so careful and picky about what they eat, but expand their repertoire ( I;m a great example, I was very picky as a kid, now I eat pretty much anything)
So I am hoping they get a little more adventurous and bold as they get older.