How Nutritional are Mealworms and other treats?

[glib]

They're the most nutritious feed on earth for chickens and an important part of a natural diet (the main source of protein, fat, and fat-soluble vitamins). That's why they like them somuch. Notice how chickens scratch around all the time? That foraging behavior developed mainly as a way to expose and nab grubs and insects...

So yeah, they are very nutritious...

agree. and that is true for humans too, insects have the highest nutrient density. Of course, for omnivorous animals proteins and fats (which insects provide along with a lot of minerals) are not enough. the next question is which insects are best. That depends on the fat needs of the animal. Fatty insects are larvae (like mealworms, but even better, like BSF), so if your animals need fat, larvae are best. If they need proteins, all insects are good.

 

[centrarchid]

My birds generally have a strong preference for insects frequently investing hawking to increase intake. When I delimit intake by providing entire can of life meal worms or get them into a large masses of insects around lights, then interest in other food items of plant origin seems to kick in. The chickens seem to strive for balance. Currently insect / crustacean forages are so abundant the birds put more effort into scratch.

 

[BuffOrps416]

Thanks! But do you know of anything that I would find around the house that is great for them (like vegetables and common fruits)?

 

[Akrnaf2]

In answer to your original question, meal worms are approximately 50% protein. They are a perfectly natural and nutritional food, but not real cost effective. Even if you grow your own, it takes far too many meal worms to supply the protein needs of chickens. So almost all chicken keepers feed them solely as treats.

Chickens are omnivores, and they do need mixed diet that contains leafs,grains,and some animal food sources. If you feed your chicken solely on worms and insects they can suffer from extra protein that can causes Gout and Renal failure.
You need to give them balanced food the most common is the commercial feed if you want to compose a balance yourself you should really need to know what you are doing,if you don't want to harm your chickens!

 

[Akrnaf2]

My chickens get twice a day fermented layer feed, which I sprinkle on 1 teaspoon of very hot chili powder+2 teaspoon of sweet paprika. In the morning I shred for them vegetables sorted by color:green-Kale, Zukini, Cucumber,Lattice. Orange- carrot, sweet potato,pumpkin. Red- red pepper,tomato and on them I sprinkle 2 tablespoon of very hot chili flakes. As a treat thy receive once a day shredded cheese. And they free range in my yard during the day. (The hot chili have Capsaicin that is a very good worms preventer)
And this is the eggs that I ger from them!

 

[A-K-A]

Ditto the meal worm info.

Unlike i did 30 years ago. I now feed total organic avoiding gmo corn and grains, to all expence. I do plan on using corn that i don't harvest from garden for them this year.

Currently my feed mix includes a organic pellet 15% protein- whole wheat- black sunflower seeds- flax seeds- oat meal- plus a 1/2 cup of DE per 100 pounds. Also a pound of oyster shell. My hens devour this.

They still get their meal worms greens of all kinds.


I would save the banana peels and any egg shells for tomato fertilizer. Just me.