Using a light to attract bugs at night?

[joebryant]

Does anyone use a light to attract bugs to come into their run at night? Seems like it could be a good feed until bed time. Also, what about a "bug light" (zapper) running all night; seems breakfast would be waiting for chickens every morning.
Does this thought have a problem that I'm not seeing?

 

[patandchickens]

My chickens go inside to roost before it's dark enough for a light to make much difference, and by the time they come out in the morning, any bugs attracted to a light will have long since wandered off elsewhere. Unless you trap them somehow, like make a CO2 bucket trap, but that does not strike me as terribly practical. OTOH, why not try it if you want, just run an extension cord and a droplight out there some night

If you want to catch bugs, you might be better off making a sweepnet (e.g. old pillowcase mounted on a hoop frame on a handle), and beat it thru tall grass to catch bugs that you can then take to the coop and dump in. Of course many will fly away faster than the chickens can pursue, but some won't

Pat

 

[KellyGwen]

I have babies in my brooder in my coop... and since it's so hot I have a regular light bulb in there instead of the infrared one... You should see them go after the bugs it attracts! They love it! But... my older chicks are already asleep by the time the bugs come...

I say, if you want to get them some nice bugs to eat lay some boards in the run and let them sit for a few days... then flip them over and let the feast begin!! There will be slugs, pill bugs, worms... lots of yummy chicken sushi!! And they don't fly away!

 

[SoccerMomof7]

I leave the light in my coop on until about 10 and they love the bugs that come in my chicken wire window.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

They love zapped bugs for breakfast.

 

[joebryant]

SoccerMomof7 and WoodlandWoman
That's what I was hoping to hear because I intend to put a hardware cloth on my coops window so they can have a late before-bed snack and then have a bug zapper outside in the run all night so that they can have a morning feast to start the day.
KellyGwen, I've been thinking of changing to a regular bulb instead of the red. I'll do that right after I get the hardware cloth over the window.
Thanks PatandChickens and WoodlandWoman for the other suggestions too.

 

[abundancefarm]

I saw this video about a year ago with this very simple solution:
I think this guy's been drinking his "Smart Juice" - and it's working!

Bottom line - just stick a bucket of water under the light.
You know what happens with a bug touches a light. . .

Going to be trying this very soon - perhaps with a trough or a larger
area for the bugs to fall into.

Hope that answers your question!
Best wishes All!

 

[FlomatonsFlocks]

Thank you so much for this thread! I would've never thought of this!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Does anyone use a light to attract bugs to come into their run at night? Seems like it could be a good feed until bed time. Also, what about a "bug light" (zapper) running all night; seems breakfast would be waiting for chickens every morning.
Does this thought have a problem that I'm not seeing?

Because chicken all roost or go to sleep at or before Sundown, I doubt that your birds will get much benefit.