Picky eating

[crystalsc]

I have 4 barred rock pullets. They are 8 weeks old. They love foraging outside and adore crickets and moths. Yesterday they stumbled on a large grasshopper. They got very excited and each one took turns pecking it but then they walked away and left it. I felt kinda bad for it because it got mutilated for nothing (I don’t want things to die without purpose if I can help it.) Do chickens not like grasshoppers? Or perhaps was it too big or put off a nasty taste I’m unaware of?

It was kinda like this:

 

[sourland]

Some types of grasshoppers have a noxious taste as a protection.

 

[crystalsc]

Well just after I posted this, Boudicca caught another one. She pecked at it for a little while then ate it whole. So I guess it tasted different.