The Good Bugs, The Bad Bugs, and the Baby Chicks

[Greendecember]

I want to feed the chicks some meal worms or other wiggly thing by hand so they don't flee from me all the time. (I don't think I can overcome the eww of roaches though)

In my hunt for mealworms locally I found I am going to have to give in and drive the 40 miles to the nearest petsmart since our local pert store went out of business and the bait shops too apparently. I was only able to find some HUGE nightcrawlers at a gas station. (I did say I HUNTED everywhere for bugs for sale!! LOL)

I caved and bought the night crawlers. When I got home an opened them They were HUGE! I mean I know they are not normally a small worm and I could have cut them up but I decided they were too much for the chicks and instead had fun watching my hens fight over them.

My question is are there any BAD bugs you should NOT feed chicks / chickens? Only thing I have found is that maggots can carry parasites so they are not a good idea.

I do realize they are birds and since they free range they will eat EVERYTHING that moves and some things that don't LOL. I am mainly concerned with giving the chicks a good head start and socializing them.

I SHOULD just go dig up some bugs in the yard but then my hens would eat them before I could get them in the house to the chicks LOL

 

[Kassaundra]

What part of Oklahoma? I'm in Henryetta. When our girls were young we fed them bugs from the yard (hoppers, crickets, worms, grubs etc....) If we had a very large insect or a very large crunchy (beetle) we cut them up, but otherwise they did fine w/ them. They will play "football" w/ them and as they run and the others chase they will get pieces of the worm, or if you are really worried just cut the worms. Just be sure they have grit.

 

[Greendecember]

Quote:
Hello Neighbor

We are just outside Shawnee

I ended up going to Midwest City and getting some meal worms at Petsmart and some tiny grit at the feed store. They have decided I'm not so scary anymore but still not sure they wanna play with me hehe.

 

[Kassaundra]

Mine are all EE's, they have been very friendly almost from the begining. Now they are about 6 months old and most are still extremely friendly wanting to see everything I am doing and get under foot when I am in there run, taking turns sitting on me saying hi, but there are a few that even though they aren't afraid, don't really want to interact w/ me. Keep giving them treats and holding/petting them, they will come around. Another fav treat was egg and oatmeal cooked together in the microwave then cooled.

 

[BrattishTaz]

A lot of Wal-Mart stores carry bait worms in the sporting goods department. If they are too big you can cut them up.

Edited to say: Make sure they are getting grit if they are eating bugs.

 

[MareeZoCool]

I don't buy bugs...........

My hubby would pop a gasket on bug buying!

Once the ground is warm & feels OK when you sit on it, I let my "kids" begin to learn the fun of bug hunting on my lawn.

 

[debid]

I took the lid off the recycle bin yesterday and there were about a thousand cricket-like bugs with long legs jumping around. I don't know what they are but I know where they live...

But yeah, I'd be out in the yard with a jar looking under rocks before I'd go to the bait store.

 

[okieinalaska]

Quote:
Hi from Alaska! I was born in Henryetta and still have family there. My grandparents all lived there, I have aunts and cousins still there. If you know any Machetta's they are my cousins.

My parents are in Bixby btw.


Sorry for borrowing this thread but had to say hi.
Amy

 

[Kassaundra]

Quote:
Hi from Alaska! I was born in Henryetta and still have family there. My grandparents all lived there, I have aunts and cousins still there. If you know any Machetta's they are my cousins.

My parents are in Bixby btw.


Sorry for borrowing this thread but had to say hi.
Amy

My husband may, he was born and raised here, while I am a move in. I'll ask him when he comes home. Have you seen the Okie thread? It is a very active thread, it is for okies in and out of state as well as wanna be's.

 

[okieinalaska]

If he went to school there my Uncle Joe Machetta was a math teacher for years.