how do you get your chickens to eat bugs

[brindlelove]

my chickens are not eating the bugs i found some grubs and they walked away what should i do ?

 

[Gray Farms]

Log it in the ole memory bank that they don't like those kind of bugs.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Be patient and keep offering them. Sometimes it takes a while for them to figure out they are good.

I'll tell a story. One time when I harvested corn from my garden for canning, I wound up with a small plastic yogurt cup full of corn ear worms. I had about 20 eight-week-old chicks roaming in a mob so I dumped those worms on a patch of bare soil near them. The chicks saw them and slowly, very carefully started moving toward them. Take a step, stop, look around, take a step, stop.... A worm wiggled! Run away! Run away! But not to far. Once again, very carefully start moving toward them. Take a step, stop, look around, take a step, stop.... A worm wiggled! Run away! Run away! This went on a few times before a brave young cockerel grabbed a worm. I expected a game of keep away but nope. The mob hit that pile with a vengeance, those worms were gone in a few seconds.

I could tell less dramatic but still true stories where initially mine did not like other stuff at first. But eventually they did. It might take days or several times. At some point one of yours will decide those grubs or bugs are good to eat. Then they will all want one. Until that point, be patient but keep offering them.

 

[slordaz]

mine it tends to vary from day to day what they want, but if it catches their fancy they sometimes roll backwards as they are so focused on catching it , the bug gets through the fence and away, and they are to concentrated on the bug and forget they are fenced in lol

 

[brindlelove]

thank you and gray farms i have had chickens before that love grubs

 

[wyoDreamer]

some of my chickens like grubs, some don't. Some like the fresh stinging nettle that I toss in there, some don't. Some like the squash, some - oh forget that one, they all love the fresh squash, lol. I have one chicken that won't eat BOSS
they are crazy little individuals.

 

[Gray Farms]

thank you and gray farms i have had chickens before that love grubs

Maybe this bunch doesn't.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Mine would love to be invited over to partake of the grubs!

 

[Sobek]

To get my chickens to eat grass I eat a little myself. So maybe if they see you eating the grub they will be happy to try some

 

[Sobek]

some of my chickens like grubs, some don't. Some like the fresh stinging nettle that I toss in there, some don't. Some like the squash, some - oh forget that one, they all love the fresh squash, lol. I have one chicken that won't eat BOSS
they are crazy little individuals.

My chickens don't like watermelon like everyone swears chickens like who woulda knew