[stujem]

Hi all, I was told to put my used tea bags in my hens run, he never give me a good reason apart from the worms come up from the ground! is this ture?, has anyone put tea bags in there runs? if so why? I look forward to hearing from you.

[cluckingnuts]

Put anything on the ground and you will get worms come up. I have sheets of corrugated metal and every few weeks move them so as not to destroy the grass. The chickens know exactly what is going to be there and crowd around waiting.

[8doubles]

Just remember that less worms means poorer drainage and muddier runs and lawns.
The worms do a good job and are not just chook food.

[cluckingnuts]

As it's estimated to be 1 million worms per acre, I think the worms in my fields will be OK. 

[8doubles]

As it's estimated to be 1 million worms per acre, I think the worms in my fields will be OK. 

Having dug for bait many times i can tell you that estimate is highly exaggerated unless they include nematodes, 206.6 earthworms per square yard would  make bait collecting very easy. :happy:

[cluckingnuts]

I'll let you test the theory out, Ive got a spare acre that I need digging over + made into a veg plot. I'll supply the spade + you can keep any worms you find, fair deal?

[8doubles]

I'll let you test the theory out, Ive got a spare acre that I need digging over + made into a veg plot. I'll supply the spade + you can keep any worms you find, fair deal?

I already have more than enough worms to keep me in bait  . If there are as many worms as you say do not let the chooks out when you turn over your acre, the chooks may explode.

Thinking about it gulls following the plough would be to heavy to fly after the first 100yds.

[Lindeggs]

We take worms for granted!  A lot of modern farming methods (eg over-application of fertilisers, indescriminate use of insecticides & herbicides) are depleting their numbers and killing the soil. 

But back to the teabag issue, I have been advised not to put tea leaves or coffee grounds in the run where bored hens can ingest them.  I imagine the same with tea bags - the hens could tear them open and eat the tea leaves.  I'm not sure why this is meant to be harmful.  Perhaps a more experienced chook-keeper could advise?

I put teabags in my general compost and let them rot down with the rest of the scraps.  There certainly are plenty of worms in my compost.  (I love worms!) 

[jinty1911]

I cant stand the things.  Since I started fishing I can now look at a black lug worm (even put frozen 1 on my hook and kept live ones in fridge) and rag worm but still have a phobia about garden ones.  The worms in our garden are huge ugly disgusting things.  They really spoilt my gardening but now have chicks, I wont be doing any   
Jinty