Will chicks eat bugs if already dead.

[John honcho]

Hey, i was wondering if bugs have to be alive first before baby chicks will eat them or will baby chicks just ignore the dead bugs. I know some pet snakes wont eat baby mice unless they are still alive and moving. Don't want to have to make an unnecessary clean up. Thanks.

 

[black_cat]

Dead bugs are perfectly fine for chicks. Really anything edible (and sometimes inedible) chickens will eat. Some birds are picky but most will eat whatever.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Depends on the chick, but my experience is that movement attracts more of them on average but also scares the timid ones away. About 50/50 if they'll take unmoving bugs unprompted.

 

[Studabird]

It depends on how old they are. If they are too young then they will ignore them living or dead. If they are old enough but have not eaten them before you may need to show them they are food. Once they know the bugs are food you will have a bunch of birds just waiting for your treats. Good luck

 

[John honcho]

It depends on how old they are. If they are too young then they will ignore them living or dead. If they are old enough but have not eaten them before you may need to show them they are food. Once they know the bugs are food you will have a bunch of birds just waiting for your treats. Good luck

Oh yes, they are about a week old and my biggest one ate a baby scorpion that i crushed its tail and I've given them all black ants that they all like, but those pesky house flies could be good food if they couldn't fly. Would they eat already dead house flies.

 

[sunnie7]

My day old chicks would try to catch flies

 

[centrarchid]

Hey, i was wondering if bugs have to be alive first before baby chicks will eat them or will baby chicks just ignore the dead bugs. I know some pet snakes wont eat baby mice unless they are still alive and moving. Don't want to have to make an unnecessary clean up. Thanks.

Mine will consume dead insects, unless the insects contain noxious compounds.