Worm

[felixpaul]

Can I feed this to my flock. What is it's name?

 

[azygous]

I believe those are common cutworms. There's no better way to get rid of this destructive garden pest than to turn your chickens loose on them. Your chickens will consider it a party!

 

[felixpaul]

I believe those are common cutworms. There's no better way to get rid of this destructive garden pest than to turn your chickens loose on them. Your chickens will consider it a party!

It doesn't look like cut worm.

 

[azygous]

It would help to have something in the photo for scale so we can judge the size of the thing. It could be anywhere from half and inch to a couple inches from where we're viewing it. Or measure one.

Your chickens won't eat a poisonous worm. In fact, most aren't. I'd just show them the worms and see what they do. My guess is they'll scarf them right down, no questions asked.

 

[felixpaul]

Ok will measure one and upload.
Can hens eat lizards? Are they poisonous?

 

[twilightgecko]

hens pretty much know what is good and what isnt.. mine wont touch ants and kill bees, but wont eat them.. also, if a bird gets into anything kind of bad or toxic, they will seek out charcoal from hard wood.. i've caught mine in the fire pit a lot when they were young..

 

[azygous]

Yes, chickens eat lizards all the time. They consider them "wild game".

Look above where you saw those worms. Do you see big cobwebs in the branches of trees and bushes? I have a hunch the worms may be tent caterpillars.

The only worms and caterpillars chickens seem to avoid are fuzzy ones and green ones, although some people feed the loathsome tomato horn worm to their chickens. Mine won't touch them.

 

[twilightgecko]

chickens hate tent worms.. and they even prefer certain moths..
i have seen my girls rip apart and eat a frog.. eww...

 

[felixpaul]

Guys.. Just now found out the name using google image search.

Polydesmida

But can my hens eat this?

Thank you guys

 

[FrankHomestead]

Offer it to them and if they eat it, it's fine. if they spit it out,not fine. They know! I know it sounds crazy Cus we're used to dogs and babies that put everything in their mouth including their own feces!! but chickens know somehow. I watched my chickens fight over a firefly then just spit it out, all took a try then spit it out, and eventually walked away. it was funny tho seeing the firefly glowing through their beaks!!