Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: Kazoo on August 12, 2007, 17:44

Title: Dried Mealworms
Post by: Kazoo on August 12, 2007, 17:44

Hi

Just wanted to check if it is ok to give dried meal worms to the chickens?  I buy these for the garden birds and the chickens go mad for them, searched the posts but can't see anything on meal worm.  Before I give them anymore just want to check I am not harming them!

Title: Dried Mealworms
Post by: alan42 on August 12, 2007, 17:53

must admit i have never tryed them actually i never thought about them so will watch with interest but thinking about it logicaly i can see no reason not to as long as it is in moderation as a treat sometimes not exclusively.
alan

Title: Dried Mealworms
Post by: Aunt Sally on August 12, 2007, 18:42

My chickens will kill large dogs to get at meal worms - fresh or dried - they are very nutritious, high in protien and very good for chooks, especially when there are not too many worms about.

Title: Dried Mealworms
Post by: slowef on August 12, 2007, 19:37

Yes mine too Aunt Sally.  Beware though it can cause fighting and greedeness like you never imagined.

I use them to introduce myself to any new hens I get and within 2 days they are devoted to me :) I also found that if there is even a hint of them other food is ignored so make them a treat and at different times of day or you will never get any peace.

I buy mine from a woman on Ebay in 3kg sacks they work out about an 1/8th of the price of those silly tubs in the garden centre

Title: Dried Mealworms
Post by: Aunt Sally on August 12, 2007, 19:44

Quote from: "slowef"

I buy mine from a woman on Ebay in 3kg sacks they work out about an 1/8th of the price of those silly tubs in the garden centre

Good tip slowef  :D

Title: Dried Mealworms
Post by: Kazoo on August 12, 2007, 20:08

Thanks for the speedy replies.  I will continue to feed these as their evening treat then, must admit they do fight like mad over them I've never seen the girls run so quickly when they see them!

Title: Dried Mealworms
Post by: richyrich7 on August 12, 2007, 21:13

Why not "grow your own" it's dead easy all you need is some live ones and a bucket of cheapo porridge oats.

Title: Dried Mealworms
Post by: Aunt Sally on August 12, 2007, 21:16

I did try it once Richy and it's not that easy.  I'll see if I can find the instructions I used.

Title: Dried Mealworms
Post by: Aunt Sally on August 12, 2007, 21:24

Here it is:

http://www.javafinch.co.uk/feed/live/live.html

Mine got too hot and all died  :(

Title: Dried Mealworms
Post by: muntjac on August 12, 2007, 21:41

waste of good money ., hang a rabbit up and let the flies do the rest .you can by offal from the butcher put it in a biscuit tin and a couple handfuls sqawdust n then chuck em in when they are big enough ,i use tyhat trick for freshwater angling ,when maggots are £2 a pint n out of date liver is 29p it makes sense

Title: Dried Mealworms
Post by: lizatros on August 12, 2007, 22:29

In all this hot weather I prop open my dustbin to let the garden birds in to eat all the maggots. They queue up for them. Plus it gets rid of the smell. I suppose I could scoop some up for the hens  :D

Title: Dried Mealworms
Post by: KathyH on August 12, 2007, 22:48

One word for all this - Euwww!  :cry:

Title: Dried Mealworms
Post by: Aunt Sally on August 12, 2007, 23:19

Quote from: "muntjac"

waste of good money ., hang a rabbit up and let the flies do the rest .you can by offal from the butcher put it in a biscuit tin and a couple handfuls sqawdust n then chuck em in when they are big enough ,i use tyhat trick for freshwater angling ,when maggots are £2 a pint n out of date liver is 29p it makes sense

Great idea Munty but not acceptible on a housing estate in Kent  :shock:
My chooks are worth a couple of quid a month for meal worms.  
They repay me with hours of pleasure and a garden with "life" in it  :D

Title: Dried Mealworms
Post by: slowef on August 13, 2007, 12:56

I have birds with expensive tastes (like their owner) bought them some maggots from the fishing shop and they wouldn't touch them.   Idon't blame them either, insipid colour white not nice brown.  A bit like us and brown eggs maybe??

Title: Dried Mealworms
Post by: slowef on August 13, 2007, 12:59

Quote from: "Aunt Sally"

Here it is:

http://www.javafinch.co.uk/feed/live/live.html

Mine got too hot and all died  :(

What a palaver!!, sooner buy dried ones and if any get dropped you don't find nasty little beatles everywhere in the utility room!!! :(

Title: Dried Mealworms
Post by: lizatros on August 21, 2007, 14:16

To make them a bit more palatable you can always pop them in some warm water to rehydrate them. They are much nicer when soft and plump !

Title: Dried Mealworms
Post by: Selkie on November 03, 2007, 12:48

sorry for ressurecting an old topic but my dad bought dried mealworms with the intention of feeding them to the wild birds in their garden -- for some reason though they won't take them so i've 'inherited' the tub of worms.

tried them with our hens today and they went crackers for them; they had wolfed them down in the blink of an eye.

is it ok to give them a few everyday through the winter?

Title: Dried Mealworms
Post by: muntjac on November 03, 2007, 12:50

feed em as much as you like anytime any place any ewhere ,hold ya hand out with them in it and you will tame them in minutes lolo,,, and what the chucks dont want ,,,,,, send to me ..,,,,,yumyuym :wink:  :lol:

Title: Dried Mealworms
Post by: Aunt Sally on November 04, 2007, 19:01

Quote from: "muntjac"

and what the chucks dont want ,,,,,, send to me ..,,,,,yumyuym :wink:  :lol:

 :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  and you think hes joking...  back woods cooking king  :wink:

Title: Dried Mealworms
Post by: chuckiehentastic on November 09, 2007, 20:00

Same as everyone agrees our girls run fastest of all for mealworms, and to see them jump! Our pekin bantam cross can leap a clear 2 feet from standing to pick one out of my hand.  It's the funniest sight ever. :lol:

Title: Dried Mealworms
Post by: muntjac on November 09, 2007, 20:32

nopes i have to disagree try them with crickets lol   ,totally hilarios lol

Title: Dried Mealworms
Post by: slowef on November 10, 2007, 07:24

Yes Mealworms are a cause for utter devotion to mum!!

We have a small brick store shed near the house,  I keep mine in there as its cool and I swear they hear that door open at 100 yards.  You hear a stampede of 38 pairs of feet legging it down the garden to get to me.  A real case of heads down and charge. :lol:

p.s. the ducks and geese love them too, I adore the sound of slurping when I throw a few in the pond for them  :lol:  :lol: