They ate ALL the mealworms.... should I worry?

[Des R]

I thought I had my treats in safe spot... silly me. Apparently they got down the 10oz bag of dried mealworms, pecked a hole it in, and at the entire bag. I have 12 hens. I knew something was amiss when I got home from work and they all had very full gullets when they ran up to greet me at the fence. Would something like this lead to sour gullet? Should I worry?

 

[Kiki]

I thought I had my treats in safe spot... silly me. Apparently they got down the 10oz bag of dried mealworms, pecked a whole it in, and at the entire bag. I have 12 hens. I knew something was amiss when I got home from work and they all had very full gullets when they ran up to great me at the fence. Would something like this lead to sour gullet? Should I worry?

I am not by any means an expert....
but if this happened to me....I'd say I wouldn't worry.
Just keep an eye on them.

I mean if they are out in the yard all day looking for bugs...how many do you think they eat?

12 hens.....ate probably less than an ounce each...
I would say they will be just fine.

 

[Des R]

Thank you, that makes me feel better! I'm new to this (we're 12 weeks in today) and feel like I keep messing up! I appreciate your quick response, whew!

 

[Kiki]

I'm sure you are doing everything just fine.
Do stress too much.

Enjoy your birds!

What kind do you have?

 

[Kiki]

You can try an old peanut butter jar or plastic mayo jar...
the ones that have the screw on lids.

I have some wide mouth ones I store treats in.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Yeah I'd keep an eye on them but one day of gorging is probably okay. One of my girls knocked my opened 1 pint tub of mealworms right out of my hands (she was trying to land IN it) and there was no way to pick all those worms off the grass, so they all got quite the treat that day but no one got sick. After that I learned to not hold the treat jar right in front of them.

 

[Kiki]

Yeah I'd keep an eye on them but one day of gorging is probably okay. One of my girls knocked my opened 1 pint tub of mealworms right out of my hands (she was trying to land IN it) and there was no way to pick all those worms off the grass, so they all got quite the treat that day but no one got sick. After that I learned to not hold the treat jar right in front of them.

they are smart huh!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Smart... or obsessed! They'll follow that treat jar anywhere and if I put it down anywhere they can get to, they'll run in behind me and try to steal a mouthful. I've taken to putting it on the roof of the coop (when it's opened) since that's the only place they can't seem to get to - yet.

 

[Des R]

That's a great idea. I just moved all the treats to a coffee can, but still wondering if the lid would hold up...

I don't know what I'd do without this site, thank you guys!

 

[rosemarythyme]

You can test your coffee can by putting it down and letting the birds at it (once they associate the can with mealworms). They're not shy about demonstrating if they can get into something. Mine peck at my treat jar whenever they see it but thankfully it seems out of sight = out of mind.

If it has a screw on lid or something that requires thumbs it should be fine. Thankfully chickens aren't octopi!