how to get chickens to eat worms...

[GermanKennhuhn]

Sorry I don’t have any advice on how to get them to eat them.

 

[Rose Quartz]

Some earth worms taste worse than butt. I would focus on insects first. There is a bit of a learning curve eating critters and it is generally easier to start with those that taste good.

I came here thinking "I have the same question." I like your answer. My girls were looking at me like I was insane today when I called them for treats and offered them a couple of earthworms.

 

[so lucky]

Try some meal worms first. I never saw a chicken that didn't like meal worms. You can buy a small container at the bait store. How old are your chickens?

 

[centrarchid]

These won't touch worms, snails,slugs anything mucous producing "can't blame them lol."
Yours probably have a reason, chickens don't tend to be picky unless they have a very good reason.

It is experience that I have seen. We have been rearing about 30 Speckled Sussex exclusively on feed. They will not consume even live meal worms. I am certain they can learn the merits of eating them with a little more exposure. The pattern likely holds for most chickens fed only feed.

 

[Rick M]

Mine woukdnt even look at worms when they were younger. I started working in the garden about a year later and I cant keep them off my shovel before dumping dirt and manure. My youngest 8 pullets 6 month olds have been some mice killing queens now too. Seen them with 4 or 5 in last two weeks out of one of my fields. Once you get one of your hens to take a worm the others will want to too once they realize one likes them.

 

[GC-Raptor]

My first and second Flock of chickens ate earthworms when Pullets. As they get older they stop eating them. They ignore them now like they do beetles. Won't touch em. GC

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Chickens can get worms from ingesting earthworms which can be a intermediate host, so I don't encourage mine to eat them anymore.

 

[BantyChooks]

I've seen some weird patterns in my flock around earthworm consumption. They went after them like candy up until the spring of 2017, when they quit cold-turkey. Wouldn't even peck at them. They only started consuming them again this year. It's not that I got new birds, either. The same ducks/chickens that had been warring over them seemed to unanimously reject them. Basically, if they don't want them, you ain't changing their mind. "You can give a duck a worm, but you can't make him like it."

 

[sorce]

All this fits into the pattern....

They know when they need something.

Just take it as a sign you are providing them good nutrition already.

Sorce

 

[centrarchid]

I've seen some weird patterns in my flock around earthworm consumption. They went after them like candy up until the spring of 2017, when they quit cold-turkey. Wouldn't even peck at them. They only started consuming them again this year. It's not that I got new birds, either. The same ducks/chickens that had been warring over them seemed to unanimously reject them. Basically, if they don't want them, you ain't changing their mind. "You can give a duck a worm, but you can't make him like it."

Consumption of such fare by free-ranging chickens may have to do much with other options available. It appears that worms are not the most preferred prey. If the chickens with experience are given a choice, then they consume other protein rich items first. Worms are like a second choice option.

When I watch my birds closely as they forage, they majority of what they peck at appears to be vegetation of some sort. That said, they will expend considerable effort going after an insect. If they are providing insects in excess, then they start going after plant materials preferentially.