Chickens eyesight

Tom Parrot · « **on:** February 11, 2015, 14:56 »

Have chickens got good eyesight?
Why I ask is that on occasions I throw out some mealworms and the chickens run to get them but, start eating those that landed last. Sometimes they don't seem to see the mealworms that I have thrown for them.
It's not a problem for me but I then have to point very close to the mealworms. And even then they seem not to see the mealworms.
This also applies to snails that I have crushed up for them.
All good stuff.
Tom Parrot

joyfull · « **Reply #1 on:** February 12, 2015, 07:11 »

they think the last bit thrown is always the tastiest - their eyesight is brilliant. Just to let you know DEFRA say you shouldn't be feeding them mealworms because you dont know the meat source they were bred on (you can feed them to wild birds as we dont generally eat those).
I never feed mine slugs or snails because of the chance of worms - so please make sure you worm yours regularly with flubenvet.

Tom Parrot · « **Reply #2 on:** February 12, 2015, 14:55 »

Hi Joyful,
If DEFRA say's I shouldn't feed mealworms to my chickens, then does that mean I shouldn't let them roam free range, as they eat worms, snails, frogs etc which I don't know of their food source either.
Tom Parrot.

joyfull · « **Reply #3 on:** February 12, 2015, 15:42 »

no it doesn't mean that, free ranging is perfect for our hens, but mealworms are raised on meat carcasses and we dont know if they are raised on infected carcasses (think of mad cow disease etc) and because the hens will be eating them any disease can be passed down through the food chain.

joyfull · « **Reply #4 on:** February 12, 2015, 15:43 »

the risk is very minute and I will admit my hens have been known to get the meal worms I scatter for our wild birds

themagicaltoad1 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 13, 2015, 19:04 »

Let's be honest here, the way our chickens normally behave would we really notice any difference if they've gone mad?

Tom Parrot · « **Reply #6 on:** February 15, 2015, 17:53 »

Hello themagicaltoad1,
I do extremely agree and appreciate the comment.
Brought a smile to my face after some of the antics my two got up to in the last two days.

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Chickens eyesight

Tom Parrot

Chickens eyesight

joyfull

Re: Chickens eyesight

Tom Parrot

Re: Chickens eyesight

joyfull

Re: Chickens eyesight

joyfull

Re: Chickens eyesight

themagicaltoad1

Re: Chickens eyesight

Tom Parrot

Re: Chickens eyesight

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