Pinkybijou Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 Can/will chickens eat caterpillars? When we went on holiday 10 days ago there were some baby caterpillars on my sprouts and broccoli in the garden. I didn't have time to get to my allotment to get the derris dust, so just sprayed them with some general organic bug spray (for greenfly, I think). On return today, I find my brassicas have been almost skeletised and are covered with big green caterpillars! Could I just let the chooks amongst them to pick them off, or should chooks not eat them? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egg Lou Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 I have opened up the netting on my vege patch to do same thing.. they won't touch them though good luck if your do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoice Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 My mums girls love them, particularly served on said demolished broccolli leaf. (Meat and veg) Mine...? you get the look.... 'WHAT do you think I'm supposed to do with THEM?' Give em a go, they might like like them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jools+6 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 go for it . please remember that butterflies are dwindling though so perhaps you've done good !! try planting nasturtiums next to your crops next year . butterflies love them ! they're so easy to grow and are a kind of sacraficial crop . hope this helps i'm better at gardening than choock keeping .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 We have so very few butterflies this year it would be a shame for the chooks to eat them. Send some up here please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinkybijou Posted August 21, 2008 Author Share Posted August 21, 2008 I know they will all be cabbage white butterflies as I saw a few of them fluttering round my broccoli a few weeks ago! I hadn't realized there was a shortage of butterflies. As the crops are ruined anyway I'm happy to leave them to do their funky thing with what remains of my brassicas! I have my allotment now which I hope is still unaffected so I will not be without food for the family!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aga n Chickens Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 Hello All Our chickens have now started turning their beaks up at 50 meat and 1 veg, they still eat the remaining leaf but dig the caterpillars into the ground ! Note on the shortage of butterflies... A couple of years ago we noticed caterpillars on our garage wall surrounded by little yellow pods. I emailed a photograph to the Natural History Museum and they confirmed that the pods were the cocoons of a parasitic wasp that lays eggs in living cabbage white caterpillar. The caterpillar continues to eat for Britain unaware of the brood growing inside. The wasp grubs 'explode' out when the caterpillar climbs the wall thinking that it is about to change, and then qickly spin their own cocoons. I'm not sure how far the infestation of these wasps has spread over the UK. Kind regards, Christine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jools+6 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 it's baad !!! we usually have tons of catapillers . now we have none . same with bees despite lavender , rosemary etc (front garden chook free ) scarey !!! i blame gordon brown lol xxxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josephine77 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 it's baad !!! we usually have tons of catapillers . now we have none . same with bees despite lavender , rosemary etc (front garden chook free ) scarey !!! i blame gordon brown lol xxxx Wow that's really worrying, I wonder why? Must admit we seem to be ok here, lavender is teeming with bumble bees and garden is full of butterfiles which the chooks seem to love to chase (but thankfully never catch!) My crops have been wiped out by the chickens anyway so don't get chance to be eaten by caterpillars!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
