So I started a (small) worm farm...

[HuevosModesto]

I started a small worm farm in a horse trough so that I could compost, have great dirt (castings), and have free(ish) protein for my chickens. I’ve tossed worms in their run a few times, only to watch the chickens peck, eyeball, and lose interest without eating them. Today I tossed some worm-filled dirt into the run today to see if scratching through the dirt for worm prizes would pique their interest, but to no avail. Ideas?

 

[DobieLover]

My chickens don't care for worms. They love meal worms but those are not the same.
Perhaps you should start a meal worm farm instead.

 

[Athena2344]

Actual worms don't tend to be that interesting to animals, start either a mealworm farm or a superworm farm and they will go nuts. I have done several of both in the past, all you need is a plastic shoebox, plain oat meal and a potato cut in half. Keep it out of sunlight and let it go

 

[Loveak9]

Ours go crazy over earth worms. We hand feed them. They stuck them down like little kids eat spaghetti noodles. We feed them our old fishing crawlers, or any I find after rains.

 

[HuevosModesto]

Actual worms don't tend to be that interesting to animals, start either a mealworm farm or a superworm farm and they will go nuts. I have done several of both in the past, all you need is a plastic shoebox, plain oat meal and a potato cut in half. Keep it out of sunlight and let it go

Interesting... I considered a meal worm farm, but I’m concerned about escaping beetles making it a nightmare. What are superworms?

 

[HuevosModesto]

Ours go crazy over earth worms. We hand feed them. They stuck them down like little kids eat spaghetti noodles. We feed them our old fishing crawlers, or any I find after rains.

I’ll try hand feeding! Have they ever gone for them on the ground or in the dirt?

 

[SimplyLivinthatFarmLife]

My girls go crazy over earthworms and mealworms just like they do with spaghetti noodles. I also have a vermicompost bin in the garage and on occasion, I will dig some out for the girls. I am planning to start growing mealworms very soon! The dried ones can get very expensive.

 

[Loveak9]

I’ll try hand feeding! Have they ever gone for them on the ground or in the dirt?

Our yard has a lot of worms, so our girls are always digging for them. It's amazing how fast they can wreck a 10x15 area of grassy. I have always hand feed the worms, never tossed them in the run.

 

[DobieLover]

Interesting... I considered a meal worm farm, but I’m concerned about escaping beetles making it a nightmare. What are superworms?

I have a meal worm farm. The beetles can't crawl out. They can barely right themselves without something to push against. They seem to constantly be trying to flip themselves back on their feet. Whenever I watch this I say to myself "no wonder you're food".

 

[ngennetta]

Growing mealworms is super easy. They don't escape their bins, and can't fly or bite. I use a multi tiered tray system for the farm.

I also have several worm bins, but the mealworms reproduce much quicker and are more nutritious for the birds