Protein for chickens

[Oreoandhens]

What is everyone’s thoughts on dried mealworms? I keep reading bad things about them however I’m interested in everyone’s experience with feeding them and what are the best brands? Thank you

 

[featherhead007]

Soldier fly larva from Canada is a much healthier and safer product!

 

[SnootyHen]

I have been buying them from Treats for Chickens. She's a small business owner and makes some really fun healthy options. You can do a subscription to get things delivered regularly and you save some money (like subscribe & save on Amazon).

 

[FarmerGirl101]

Mine love mealworms! They are a good treat and my hens love them

 

[NatJ]

What is everyone’s thoughts on dried mealworms? I keep reading bad things about them however I’m interested in everyone’s experience with feeding them and what are the best brands? Thank you

The only "bad" thing I know of them is that they are very expensive. I have no personal experience, because I'm not willing to pay that much.

I've never had trouble finding enough chicken treats-- they seem to love wet chicken food, scrambled egg, and many kinds of table scraps. They also love digging their own bugs out of a compost pile. Yes, of course I use a little common sense on what table scraps and how much. But I've never personally felt a need or desire to buy expensive dried bugs

 

[JDonn127]

My girls go crazy for live mealworms.... i get the at pet store...they are like 3 or 4 $ for 50 of them

 

[Oreoandhens]

Soldier fly larva from Canada is a much healthier and safer product!

We are in the UK so not sure

I have been buying them from Treats for Chickens. She's a small business owner and makes some really fun healthy options. You can do a subscription to get things delivered regularly and you save some money (like subscribe & save on Amazon).

ooo thank you! I will check her out

 

[Oreoandhens]

The only "bad" thing I know of them is that they are very expensive. I have no personal experience, because I'm not willing to pay that much.

I've never had trouble finding enough chicken treats-- they seem to love wet chicken food, scrambled egg, and many kinds of table scraps. They also love digging their own bugs out of a compost pile. Yes, of course I use a little common sense on what table scraps and how much. But I've never personally felt a need or desire to buy expensive dried bugs

Yes we do give them a variety too but I thought the mealworms would be a good extra source of protein especially around this time of the year

 

[Oreoandhens]

My girls go crazy for live mealworms.... i get the at pet store...they are like 3 or 4 $ for 50 of them

Great! I will look into getting some too

 

[NatJ]

Yes we do give them a variety too but I thought the mealworms would be a good extra source of protein especially around this time of the year

My favorite source of "extra" protein for chickens is chick starter or game bird starter. As long as laying hens have access to oyster shell for calcium, they can safely eat as much chick starter as they want. Last time I bothered to check, the cost per pound of protein was cheaper with game bird starter than it was with mealworms. (I typically find game bird starter has between 24 and 30 percent protein.)

(Just sharing what I've done, because you asked for opinions. I have no problem with people feeding mealworms to chickens, if that's what the people want to do.)