My pullets won’t touch mealworms!

[SLA]

My girls are pretty good eaters, but when offered meal worms they act how I would if someone offered them to me. They gobbled the cicadas that bombarded us these last weeks (but only alive ones). Should I offer living mealworms? Are my pullets too persnickety?

 

[Chickassan]

Live! Dried ones are like Jello with no wiggle.

 

[SLA]

Live! Dried ones are like Jello with no wiggle.

Well, that makes sense, since this is the way they liked cicadas. Yep, they’d like the wiggle.

 

[neo71665]

It's just treats anyways and they don't need them.

 

[AOrchard]

Hold one pinched in between two fingers, and every so sightly twist it a little (rolling your fingers back and forth just a touch). I've successfully made chickens grab it with that little bit of movement, and once they grab it then they realize and get excited. As small of a movement as you can make it. Otherwise I'll just sprinkle a few in their cage and try again the next day, usually after it's sat there a while they get curious.

 

[Aapomp831]

They don’t need it. Just give them chick starter and fresh water.

 

[SLA]

At least 5 of my 8 are laying and thought it would be a fun treat. I just figured they would adore them, ha!

 

[CluckerFamily]

I do give dried mealworms. I shake some into the grass, when they come close or step on the grass, the mealworms move due to the chicken’s movement.

 

[Chickassan]

Lol I always thought of the dried worms as more of an insult than treat.
Kind of like if someone gave you an ice cream sundae only it was fifty years old.
I've even seen these brats kick through a pile of dry looking for one that might be kicking still.
I can't even pawn dried ones off on bitty babies anymore, even they won't take them.

Well, that makes sense, since this is the way they liked cicadas. Yep, they’d like the wiggle.