My girls don't like cutworms

[JennsPeeps]

They **LOVE** cutworms! It's reason #537 why I love having chickens.

I don't have to squish cutworms when I find them in the dirt any more!

I did some weeding in my front yard today and took all 4 girls out with me. I caged them up and put a lid over them, moving them around from time to time. They were thrilled to have grass again - they've eaten all the grass in the back yard - and to eat bugs. They pigged out on all the cutworms and worms I tossed to them. You'd think I was giving them cheese, they were so excited.

I saved some to give them a treat tomorrow.

Cutworms live in dirt, btw, and look like this. They're about an inch long and are every gardener's enemy.

 

[hippichick]

Mine love them too. Those cutworms don't stand a chance around my chickies!

Paula

 

[coffeemama]

I do the same thing!!!

 

[emsevers]

What will cutworms do to your garden?

 

[Rte.66_chicks]

I used to have a hen that would get between my knees and my hands when I was weeding/planting or any other hand dirt-digging job so she could be first to grab whatever I stirred up. The cutworms were a favorite!She slowed me down considerably, but I liked having her there, so never chased her away. Wouldn't have done any good anyway!

 

[Knight Hawk Ranch]

Cutworms eat the leaves of the plants devastating fast. They can defoliate a plant pretty quick.

 

[patandchickens]

Yup, cutworms are almost as good as tomato hornworms

I just want to say I am totally jealous of you. Our cutworms are currently frozen solid (or however solid a cutworm *can* freeze -- I'm not inclined to study the matter further!) under a foot or so of icy compacted snow. Some will melt off this week, but we are probably 3+ months away from cutworm season

Pat

 

[JennsPeeps]

Don't be jealous of my cutworms! It was in the 40s yesterday and I was digging in the cold dirt.

 

[coffeemama]

I hate cutworms-they have destroyed many a plant in my yard.

 

[Reinbeau]

Cutworms will cut right through seedlings, I always put toothpicks next to my peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, etc. because the cutworm needs to curl around the stem to eat into it, the toothpicks keep them from being able to curl up like that. Works every time, any unprotected seedling will be snipped right off at soil level