Never thought I would be going through the compost pile

[punkin]

catching crickets for chickens. Although I'm sure it was pretty funny for anyone who happened to see me. I am not much of a cricket catcher. Even my DH got in on the fun.

We moved one of the compost pile to make room for a new chicken coop. As we were forking it over, crickets ran everywhere. I started thinking, chickens in run - free protein - fun to watch. So I grabbed a 3 gallon bucket and we ended up catching about 20. We dumped them in the run and the chase was on, for about 20 seconds.

 

[silkieluver_07]

My chickens love to eat those juicy crickets too!

 

[Farmer Kitty]

I'll bet that would have made a great video!!!

 

[Becaco]

You aren't by yourself. My DH catches grasshoppers. He will also go around turning over brush, logs or whatever for them.

 

[tiki244]

I tried that same thing and not with much luck

Then I tried to move the chickens to the crickets. Well, they were so freaked out about being carried that they all ran away.

The other day when they were rangeing for a while I noticed that they finally discovered the crickets at the compost pile.

 

[McGoo]

My question is HOW? Those suckers are fast. How did you catch them? A net? Or by hand?

 

[punkin]

Quote:
We caught them by hand. Sometimes you can just cup your hand over them and slide your other hand under. A few we just pinched between our thumb and forefinger from behind. They are fast, though. You just gotta stick with them.

 

[punkin]

Quote:
Yea, but only for about 20 seconds or so.

(Or are you talking about me & DH catching them? That would have been the funny video.)

 

[dangerouschicken]

You have happy chickens and that makes it all worth it