slugs?

[Tala]

Can chickens eat slugs?
We have a bunch of them here. One came inside on something I brought in, so I gave it to the chicks, but had to take it away because it was so sticky! The chick that pecked at it got pine shavings stuck to her beak!

How are they gonna manage outside in "slug city"??

 

[Judy]

Quote:
I am guessing that you are talking about baby chicks here.

Chickens love slugs. And bugs, worms, etc..... Like treats, they have to learn that they are really food, though. Foods that are great treats for many peoples' chickens are not necessarily accepted at first offering to new chicks. They do not like anything new, whether it is food or other environment. Pieces of bread might be the easiest treat to start them with. Mix some slugs in with bits of bread???

I'll bet they would have devoured them if they were on the dirt and not in pine savings. I use pine shavings, too, but they do not make it easy for chicks to figure out the difference between pine shavings and good food.

Train them to eat those slugs!

Patience.

 

[Tala]

Good to know.

I was concerned because the sticky slug goop made all the shavings stick to her beak and she couldn't seem to get them off. I had to catch her and wipe them off so she would stop shaking her head. Dirt would be better. Slugs = outdoor treat.

And yes they get very limited treats because they need to eat their starter! (and yes they have grit)

 

[Attack Chicken]

I hated it when my chickens would get a hold of slugs. I would chase them down in the backyard and make them drop it. It's probably just me but

 

[ghillie]

My chickens are slug eating machines. I used to have problems growing beans because the slugs would eat them overnight. Since we got the chickens our beans are doing great....

 

[stir-fry]

Ours attack slugs when tossed to them, but then again our 4 girls eat everything out back that moves and is tiny. The Barred Rock wont eat worms that are tossed to her. She just looks at them and lets the others take them away. We keep wondering if she is a Veggie-tera-hen!

 

[Pug Momma]

I just saw my young Beverly (red-star hen) eat her first small slug yesterday in our yard. She is 6 weeks old. She and the other divas also ate a nasty winged thing. And a roly-poly bug. And then ran around in circles as if they were flabbergasted that they did it!
It's great and funny to watch and FREE pest control in my garden!
I need to remember to keep a camera ready!
*So, yeah, slugs are fine*