Mealworms

[serdlc64]

Why do some people say that mealworms can be toxic and contain heavy metals? They say that during the process of making them, it doesn’t take toxins out. I bought an expensive 5 lb bag from TS and now I’m scared to feed them any.
I also read where it is illegal in some states and also in Europe to feed them to chickens.

 

[nuthatched]

I've never seen or heard that ever. Don't worry about it.

 

[Chicken love to infinity]

Hello! I love feeding my girl's mealworms. I personally prefer black soldier fly larvae because it has 75% more calcium than mealworms though. It is super healthy and I think it makes the eggs taste better. My girls can't get enough of it and I mix it with their feed. I have never heard that it is toxic to them and I have never had any issues. I hope your girls like it!

 

[Tonyroo]

I tried 2 different brands that TSC carried, flock party and this organic one. I hated both, but the organic one looked and smelled better. Chickens liked it. I'm going back to live mealworms since I'm working again.

BTW when I had chicks in the brooder I gave them baby meal worms. They really enjoyed that.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Why do some people say that mealworms can be toxic and contain heavy metals? They say that during the process of making them, it doesn’t take toxins out. I bought an expensive 5 lb bag from TS and now I’m scared to feed them any.
I also read where it is illegal in some states and also in Europe to feed them to chickens.

Heavy Metals linger in a body, most aren't easily and rapidly excreted - which is why they talk about mercury levels in fish, and lead levels in humans. Very tiny doses build up over time. Or coal ash - burn away all the carbon, and you are left with something which, pound per pound, is much more radioactive, much higher in heavy metal concentrations, and just all around more toxic.

Same is true about mealworms - it concentrates in their bodies if its present in their environment or their diet. Why did I mention coal ash above??? Because mealworms arusually packed and shipped dried. Remove substantially all the moisture and, pound per pound, everything in them (for good or ill) is more concentrated.

That said, EVERYTHING is toxic in sufficient quantity. Every living thing on the planet contains heavy metals. The Dosage is the Poison. Without knowing how much of what is in them, its a factual statement devoid of the information needed to make a reasoned, informed decision.

I don't feed mealworms because, regardless of any other factor, they do contain a huge amount of fat - even a few of them, every day, is enough to throw a chicken's diet out of balance, and the benefit of the small amount of additional protein is, in my view, MORE THAN OFFSET by the huge amount of additional fat.

Legality is no indicator of relative danger. I've helped write legislation. Its not pretty. Chances are, the people who wrote the law don't have a great understanding of the subject on which they are legislating, and the mass of representatives voting on the law know even less.