I think consumers would see it only as a treat, even if you marketed it as a protein upper for their feed. However, you could try that. In addition to starting out at local feed stores, you could try to offer some online as well.
I get the feeling you're wanting to sell the larvae as a sole-proprietor, but if your exposure and demand increases, it could be worthwhile automating your production.
I don't buy Happy Hen treats at TSC because they're expensive and I consider things like that and suet cakes for birds to be a little bit of a sales gimmick. Suet cakes are pretty much junk food for your wild bird friends, and with chicken feed already being fairly high in protein, I might not wish to increase my bird's protein unless one was getting a special diet for show.
I say this to express that your backyard poultry consumers will likely only value the larvae as a treat.
However, with vegetarian fed chickens being a thing (never-mind chickens are omnivores) someone who is raising their chickens "organically" (to eat?) may not want the protein in their bird's feed to be a protein that comes from butchered cows, pigs, other chickens, etc. and may prefer the insect source protein as a more natural alternative.
If you decide to scale up your idea- that might be one avenue to go.
It's just an idea.
I get the feeling you're wanting to sell the larvae as a sole-proprietor, but if your exposure and demand increases, it could be worthwhile automating your production.
I don't buy Happy Hen treats at TSC because they're expensive and I consider things like that and suet cakes for birds to be a little bit of a sales gimmick. Suet cakes are pretty much junk food for your wild bird friends, and with chicken feed already being fairly high in protein, I might not wish to increase my bird's protein unless one was getting a special diet for show.
I say this to express that your backyard poultry consumers will likely only value the larvae as a treat.
However, with vegetarian fed chickens being a thing (never-mind chickens are omnivores) someone who is raising their chickens "organically" (to eat?) may not want the protein in their bird's feed to be a protein that comes from butchered cows, pigs, other chickens, etc. and may prefer the insect source protein as a more natural alternative.
If you decide to scale up your idea- that might be one avenue to go.
It's just an idea.
