praying mantis near chicken coop?

[joexjen]

Has anyone places praying mantis near their chicken coop to help with insects?

 

[Folly's place]

I'd worry that the chickens would injure/ kill it. I don't see many, and leave them safe.
Mary

 

[lazy gardener]

Agreed with Mary. I've NEVER seen one here. But my grand dtr. caught one last summer. In theory they would kill a lot of insects. But, those are insects the chickens would enjoy, and they would think that a praying mantis was the greatest dessert ever. I don't even like it when my birds eat toads, frogs, and snakes. But, I can't stop them. That's what chickens do!!

 

[joexjen]

Thanks so much!!

 

[aart]

Has anyone places praying mantis near their chicken coop to help with insects?

Welcome to BYC!
What kind of insects near your coop do you need 'help' with?

I see a few here every year, and their egg cases.
But they prey on garden type insect pests, not chicken insect pests.

 

[centrarchid]

My chickens consume even the larger adult Chinese and European mantids. As a kid we used to catch adult mantids and through them into brooder where chicks less than a week old would behave like little Velociraptors as they attacked, dismembered and devoured the insects that were almost as large as they were and very much able to fight back. Chicks did not need help from hen to prevail although she would not hesitate to speed killing part.

 

[Zinjifrah]

The main reason I got chickens was for insect control!

 

[joexjen]

thank you everyone for all your input!!