Just wondering if anyone has thrown dried mealworms and dried crickets down for the chickens to eat? I assume it's better than using the living insects because they can't run away! Are there any disadvantages - can the chickens find these dried insects OK?

Hi

I use dried mealworm, my chickens love them but the disadvantage is that when the birds peck at the worms they tend to disintegrate and a lot of the worm turns to dust. I get by this by soaking the worms for a few minutes in water.


Tinman

Been feeding dried mealworms to the chucks for some time, scatter them on the grass in the paddock over quite a wide area, keeps them occupied for some time seeking them out, as they are dry I know they won't crawl away and hide (hide...lol)
I have a video somewhere of the chucks running down the paddock when they see the mealworm bag!

Found a useful supply at dried mealworms for Chickens Wild Birds Hedgehogs Fish and Reptiles

i also use dried mealworms, it is there favourite treat and very useful for encouraging them back into their run at night.

My hens love mealworms, i have only had them 4 weeks and they are ex battery so the first couple of times they wernt sure but now they knwo exactly what they are lol

yesterday i gave them live ones for the first time.....jeez they went wild for them I put them in a dog bowl so they couldnt crawl out but to eb honest they ate them that quick they wouldnt of got far if id just of put them on the floor.

My girls all go to bed at night by themsleves, no need to tempt them in with anything.

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Tiggy, 13 yr old Collie x Alsation, Lucy 11 yr old epileptic cross breed, Kara, collie x whippet

Mine generally don't need encouragement, they are usually pretty good, if i left em to it they would probably sit out in their main run all night, they just need a little tempter to go back into their coop run. Once they,re in there they all clutter off to bed no problem.