Topic of the Week - Feeding mealworms, bugs etc.

[CynthiaN]

I LOVE this article. I'll be getting my chickens sometime next month and this has been very interesting reading!

 

[Foster's Freehold]

Right now, mine are in a fairly bare run. But I do have objects in there that I move around every so often so they can harvest what's under there.

In years past, I'd move the coop and run to a fresh spot, and boy would they feast on the mice. Or when I clean out the deep litter, nothing stands a chance. I try to turn the litter a bit every so often so the things at the bottom are accessible.

Their diet is varied, kitchen scraps, broken eggs, fruit and veg, meat scraps, milk leftovers. If it doesn't feed the chickens, it feeds the compost and the buggies.

About once a week I feed a can of mackerel, mixed into their feed. A couple of times a week if more than 1 or two are molting.

It really bugs me that you can no longer get animal protein feed for them.

 

[Pensmaster]

During the spring I run a bug zapper before the bats return. Catch the bugs with a bucket under the zapper and feed once a week to both chicks and adults.

 

[EIEIO Funny Farm]

If

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Chickens are omnivorous and when given the chance, will happily devour a surprising assortment of bugs and small animals. I've seen mine eat frogs, small snakes, mice… Most of us prefer to be a bit less adventurous when meeting our flocks' craving for meat and stick to providing things like mealworms, crickets, roaches, etc. This week I would like to hear your thoughts and practices on feeding "live" treats. What do you offer your flocks, what can you feed them safely, etc?

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If I see grasshoppers in my garden, I’ll catch them and hand it over to the hens.

 

[hysales]

. These are not just birds... They are my own little private flock of feathered DINOSAURS.

When my roo makes his weird sounds I try to imagine what it would sound like if he was 50x bigger. Probably less cute and much more terrifying!

 

[EuroChook]

When feeding extra protein do be careful with the forms of live protein that you chose to feed your chickens. Meal worms are the larva stage of the DARKLING BEETLE and both meal worms and darkling beetles are a major pest and a serious disease vector in commercial chicken houses, besides the meal worms destroy the very chicken house that they live in by boring into the walls of the chicken house in order to pupate. This behavior is more pronounced when using the deep litter method of of chicken manure control.

Don't take my poor word for this, research it and find out for yourself. Also other things like Earth worms, slugs, crickets, snails, and grasshoppers all transmit disease bacteria and intestinal worms to your flock.

You know, anything called 'darkling beetle' has got to be bad. If it were named the 'white knight beetle' or the 'peace and light beetle' there might still be hope!

 

[3riverschick]

Ok, I'll rain on this parade.
My birds were/are always cooped or yarded. I keep as close an eye as possible on everything they eat. They get commercial feed, grit, sometimes store bought yogurt, and Nutridrench water ( 1 1/2 tsp. To quart water) if their lives are stressful for some reason. I do not feed them any other supplements except sometimes BOSS, and carefully sprouted Plotspike Forage Oats between 4-7 days old.
IIdo not believe in all kinds of supplemental treats whose nutritional value I cannot control.
BTW, DEFRA has banned the feeding of dried mealworms from unregulated areas to poultry in their jurisdiction.
The reason is because the mealworms could come in contact with meat nutrients which could contain disease... which could be passed through the worms into the poultry to which the mealworms were fed.
So if you are feeding dried mealworms, best to get them from Stateside sources.
There is nothing wrong with commercial feed. The poultry feed industry spends millions of dollars of year evaluating and creating these feeds. I happen to like Nutrena. I think it's an excellent poultry feed.
There are others I won't touch with a ten-foot pole. it just depends on what you're looking for.
No I don't feed organic . I don't believe in it.
Our livestock should be able to exist in this world as it is without being protected from it.
I have learned, from extensive research over 20 years ,the best way to do this is to support the growth and development of GI tract during the first 14 days of life. Given the best GI tract development and function possible, our livestock is able to live in this world without special considerations to protect them from it. It's so much about these 1st 336 Golden Hours.
Best,
Karen

 

[Phins Fan]

We free range in a smaller run so the area is pretty cleaned out from most bugs and insects. Scratch grains and table scraps are given every other day to give them a treat. Though once a month ill put out a small swimming pool and go to the Brook with a minnow trap. I'll come back with a couple dozen minnow that I'll put in the pool for a day. They go crazy trying to catch the fish and it's a high protein snack for all of them. Funny how when they see the pool get laid out they get all sorts of noisy and vocal. They love fish...

 

[Ponypoor]

My kiddos get out and about a bit, and they really enjoy my manure pile, when I am cleaning stalls they love to dig in the manure pile catching all sorts of bugs.

I also collect Japanese beetles (a small bucket with a couple inches of water, when you see a cluster of the beetles shake them into the bucket, the water prevents them from flying away), when I have gone through all my fruit trees and roses and collected what beetles no can, I dump the bucket out on the barns brick floor and watch the chickens go wild!

It’s a free for all, 3 weeks olds up to 7 yrs old all fighting for those beetles

I have seen mine eat small snakes and small frogs. Large snakes they don’t attack, but they will harass.

This would make an awesome meal I would think!

 

[EuroChook]

I would actually be fine with going into the bucket myself one day. It's a harmless method for recycling otherwise useless meat

And so the cycle continues, whence we arose thence to return. I am sure when such a day should come, your time on earth has been fulfilling and meaningful.