Solitary chicken - need advice

[Ms Tilytinkle]

Hello,

Hope the sun is shining in your corner of the world.

Just a quickie, i received the live mealworms yesterday

the chickens abslutley loved them although it did make them very greedy

(you'd think we never feed them) and for the first time , and a few times too the pepperpots bullied Agnes & Boudeccia , not wanting them to have any. Before the mealworms we only shared mixed corn treats, rice, grapes & green beans which they love but they were very friendly scrums.

Anyway, i am wondering how long the live mealworms last or survive in the sack they are in ( with newspaper in the sack too ), Oh and if some die is it still okay to feed them to the chickens. (not that i will be close enough to inspect)

 

Many Thanks

 

Ms Tilys6chooksstillalaying6lovelyeggs

[Shirl]

They only last a few weeks max and they turn into bugs. This is in theory the start (or end) of the lifecycle so you could breed them and then have a constant supply because they are expensive. I settled for dried meal worms because there's no feeding involved.

[Ms Tilytinkle]

Thank you, yes they are expensive & thats exactly what my hubby asked . . ."can't we breed our own maggots or mealworms" especially after discovering the price of this small sack Hmmmm after shuddering at the very thought . maybe its an option (small scale) although i am still slightly concerned how 'enthusiastic & greedy it seems to make them

 

How often should they have mealworm treats given to them, as they free range most of the day too.

 

Ms Tilyschickenslovechasingfliesandroostingonaladderthatsproppedupinthegarden

[Smiler]

I was told to put them in a larger container with small air holes and they would last about two weeks. You can feed them on potato and cucumber and then give them a spray with luke warm water every few days.

Chooks loved em but having to look after something else and not exactly a nice one blew that as a treat idea for me.

[Lewis]

Keep them in a lunchbox with pin holes to get air in.

Apparently if you keep them in the fridge, they dont grow and change into the bugs as fast.

 

They eat crushed up branflakes aswell apple and potato and cucumber as Smiler said.

If you look on google you will find loads of things anout them and breeding them on reptile sites.

[Abbey Road Girl]

That's all I would like to say on the subject!

 

OK, seriously folks, I may give those yukky things a go! Hens, after all, are not very fussy. (Did enjoy them leaping in sinc last night when they discovered a frog!)

 

Life is a rich pageant and we hen keepers are more privileged than most!

[StephanieSB]

Hi. The Ark Wildlifewebsite says this about storing live worms:

 

"How to store: Live Mealworms will keep for 7-10 days in cool conditions. Mealworms can easily be stored in a garage or utility room because they are clean and odourless. They keep well at room temperature. Should you wish to store them for longer you can transfer them to the warmest part of your fridge, away from the icebox."

[Ms Tilytinkle]

fridge . .

.ooh dear. My middle name is Squeamish Wimp ..

Thank you for all informaton, all will be passed onto hubby & he can decide what he would like to do .. me i am happy paying a tenner every now & then & encouraging family to go give the chickens their treat

i can say without hesitation they will stay outside in the cool garage!

 

Thank you again. I am now not afraid of walking into the garage & discovering a whole load of lies or whatever they would metamorphosis into

 

Ms Tillyprefersbutterfies

[Cyber Chook]

I get a delivery of mealworms every week, which I've done every Spring for the last 4 years, and I feed the sparrows, robins, blue and great tits and blackbirds with them - they're only interested in them for a few weeks while they're feeding their young, and it's such a lovely thing to do, especially when the babies start coming and cheeping by the back door all on their own. Now I've got chickens, they get a handful too. It works out about 30% cheaper if you set up multi-mail - you pay at the start and then receive them for 6 weeks.

 

I buy big bags of bran for them, and keep them in tubs with lids with little holes made in them. I just feed them with banana skins, which gives them sugar and moisture, and teabags get devoured, so in the morning all that's left is the dry paper. They like things like mouldy apples too.

 

I'd never have thought I could write so much about mealworms... think I'd better go to bed now as it's 1.30am

[Egluntyne]

Fishermans's maggots (undyed) are a lot cheaper and will sit happily in the fridge ( I have an old one in the garage) for a fortnight.

[Ms Tilytinkle]

Good Morning,

Thank you, Yes actually hubby did ask if they could eat maggots, i remembered Eglutines advice on another post, yes they can have undyed ones! . .but that is as far as the conversation went not one to encourage.

 

Ah, now i discovered a lovely, fascinating wild bird site the other day, they sold a weekly supply of mealworms for the Spring. I was tempted! They also had the most beautiful information on wild birds . .and a free booklet to apply for. I'm looking forward to its arrival.

 

Many Thanks

Ms Tillyneedstogetoffthepcnowandgoandgetonwithtoomanymanyjobsthatmustbedone

[Hen Watch]

I got my live, white maggots online from this website below. £5.25 (inc del) for a pint. Air holes in top and stored in the fridge.

 

http://www.wormsdirectuk.co.uk/default.php?cPath=24_60

 

My local fishing tackle shop sells them too, half the price, but don't always have white ones, sometimes only dyed. Not sure why not to feed the dyed ones but assume it is because of the artificial colours, may be not good for them same as humans I suppose.