Raising roaches in the run for chicken feed supplement

[odchooks]

So I know this won’t be for everyone. But hear me out. Today in the deep litter run I lifted a wood board that was covering holes on a row of cinder blocks and 10million roaches pill bugs and wolf spiders poured out. I’m not queasy about them as long as they are outside.. but clearly we had a problem infestation. The chickens were in heaven and I was worried if they could gorge on too many roaches. But then I thought that maybe I have a perfect set up to supplement the chickens diet. The roaches must come out at night and feed on the deep litter and waste in the run and hide under the board during the day away from hungry chickens, so I thought maybe I could supplement the chickens’ diet by just removing the board once a week or so. Since we are essentially raising roaches in there anyway. And the hens would keep the numbers down to reasonable levels. Is infrequent gorging on live insects an issue for chickens?

 

[3KillerBs]

That sounds like a great system.

Over the summer I had Dubia roaches for my chickens -- courtesy of my sister who raises them for her reptiles.

There are few things a chicken loves more than a nice, juicy bug.

 

[Brooks_]

roaches pill bugs and wolf spiders

Pill bugs being Rollie Pollie? OK. Wolf spider outside? OK. Roaches? Flame thrower. Just my 2 cents, you can mail me my change.

 

[odchooks]

Pill bugs being Rollie Pollie? OK. Wolf spider outside? OK. Roaches? Flame thrower. Just my 2 cents, you can mail me my change.

but they are so juicy! Chickens would probably like them roasted too. They ate so many