slugs

[pattgal]

Any body else feed their chickens slugs????? Would it affect the taste of the chicken?? say like in large quantities
I am feeling kinda grossed out by the idea but it does entertain me to think that i could be making good use out of my problem. I am learning that there is no real easy (or cheap) way of getting rid of pests so we might as well make the best of of them right.
because we have some verrrryyy hungry meat kings that would love to eat just about anything, and masses of slugs
I sometimes tell people to be careful of the slugs here as you could slip and fall that is how many we have hahaha
we have a skunk i was considering getting rid of because it was tearing up the lawn but then i found out it was eating the june bug grubs. we opted to keep him around

the crows are loud and anoying but hey! they eat slugs so now we are friends. the spider are ginormous and freaky but can't blame them for hanging around with the amount of flies we got here. so we got swallows to eat the flies for us and clear the spiders. Everything balances out.
Sorry got side tract there , So will it affect the flavour of my meats?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Drunken chicken is not an exotic recipe from some strange country. I learned it from some Cajuns but I don't know who developed it. Well, Cajun country may be strange to some people, but I really liked my 32 years there. It is a tremendously great way to prepare chicken. Pretty simple too.

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Poultry/BeerButtChicken.htm

Don't worry about them developing a taste for beer. They will not set up a brewery in the extra nest box they never use. The alcohol should evaporate away overnight anyway.

If your chickens have access to outside, they are probably eating enough slugs, snails, earthworms, and grubs that they are exposed to certain parasites anyway. It is always a good idea to be on the lookout for parasites but I would not refrain from giving mine the extra treats because of concern over them getting parasites. Mine are exposed anyway.

Good luck with getting rid of the slugs. They are a pain when it gets damp for a while. They should not effect the taste of the meat.

 

[vermonster]

Lay old boards around your garden, particularly around the plants that really attract slugs (lettuce, cabbage family, etc). In the mornings the slugs will seek protection on the bottom of those boards. Just take the boards in the coop, flip it over, and let the girls have at it.

The one thing I would be concerned about is your chickens ingesting slugs that have consumed the 'blue pellets', but have not yet expired. What are the 'blue pellets' you are using? Are they a poison? If so, switch to Iron Phosphate bait. It is a naturally occurring mineral that doesn't harm people or pets, but causes slugs to stop eating and die. There are several brand name options. Here is one:
http://www.buy.com/prod/bonide-905-3lb-slug-magic/q/listingid/46017403/loc/66357/204599102.html

Combatting slugs is a multi-prong approach in my garden. I use Iron Phosphate, hand picking, the board method noted above, beer, and the chickens to keep them out of my gardens.

And, yes, the chickens eat them. Ducks are reputed to have have a bigger appetite for them.

 

[Pollo Blanco]

Quote:
Is gapeworm a PNW thing?

 

[Rennie]

How does yeast effect chickens then or doesnt it ? ....

Im setting a trap tommorow to get all the slugs in my garden because my cabbages are not happy !!!! ..In stead of using beer Im going to make a bowl of yeast water .. (if its the yeast they like) ..would it be ok to feed them to the chickens or should i just bin them ?

 

[emys]

I'd let your chickens decide if they want them or not - and remember all new foods are suspect - it could take them awhile to determine if they like them or not. As long as you empty the traps on a regular basis and don't let the slugs ferment in there too, I think you are safe. (and worm regularly just in case.)