When will they start eating slugs?

Dominic · « **on:** June 17, 2011, 12:09 »

For the past couple of days, I've been throwing slugs out of the feeder (moving them onto wall feeders tonight). My chickens are 15 wks old, I was expecting them to be eating slugs by now....

I'd actualy been working out ways to encourage slugs into the run...

Nicki85 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 17, 2011, 12:39 »

Mine aren't sure of slugs either and they are 16 weeks... they look at me like i'm crazy when I put them in their run for them!! Maybe I need to start them on some baby slugs... hmm

Lewjam · « **Reply #2 on:** June 17, 2011, 12:56 »

hehe i had the same thing - i had a big yellow feeder and slugs were hiding underneath and it making a nice home in it for weeks (Nasty shock when you pick up the feeder and get a hand full!!)

I kept giving them to the chooks and they just looked very unimpressed until a few weeks ago (about 18Wks) they starting going for them. I must say they don’t look totally comfortable tackling the big ones yet but were getting there!

I think its just age and size.. one of them still wont go near them!

Ive read ducks get foamy mouths after eating slugs but i haven’t seen that yet with my chook hehe.

Dominic · « **Reply #3 on:** June 17, 2011, 14:00 »

Quote from: Nicki85 on June 17, 2011, 12:39

Mine aren't sure of slugs either and they are 16 weeks... they look at me like i'm crazy when I put them in their run for them!! Maybe I need to start them on some baby slugs... hmm

Hahahahaha

Yes, exactly that.
I'd been flicking the slugs out of the tray so I didnt have to touch them, in the general direction of the chickens, and the best I got was a "I'll flick them back in a minute" stare.

They're had at least one worm, which entailed a full on pile on round the garden, but no slugs yet as far as I've seen.

themagicaltoad1 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 17, 2011, 15:58 »

Mine never have liked slugs- won't touch them. A nice crispy woodlouse or a stretchy worm but definately not a slimy slug!

Kathie · « **Reply #5 on:** June 18, 2011, 10:41 »

Our chooks won't eat slugs or caterpillars that we have found for them, they are freerange so maybe they only eat their own finds! However we have had to rescue many slow worms they have caught and sometimes wrapped themselves around the hens head. The ducklings on the other hand go crazy for slugs and they are only 6 weeks old.

3FatHens · « **Reply #6 on:** June 18, 2011, 18:13 »

My chickens love worms! Once they got the taste, they started eating slugs, they like it when it rains they normally waddle out and eat all the slugs, thats if the blackbird does not get them first.

Lindeggs · « **Reply #7 on:** June 20, 2011, 02:37 »

My chickens used to eat slugs but seem to have gone off them! :blink: I'm hoping it's a seasonal thing. It's winter here so I have been wondering if the slugs go into a kind of hibernation mode and become unpalatable. I hope so, because I've been boasting to all my friends about what wonderful slug-catchers my chickens are. They're turning me into a liar!

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When will they start eating slugs?

Dominic

When will they start eating slugs?

Nicki85

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Lewjam

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Dominic

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themagicaltoad1

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Kathie

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3FatHens

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Lindeggs

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