The Dogmother Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 It seems that the EU might be trying to outlaw the feeding of mealworms to any poultry which might possibly be entering the food chain... this includes egg layers. A local outlet has received a sternly worded letter from the AHVLA (part of DEFRA) about it, and will be withdrawing them from sale until it is resolved. This on the Flytesofancy site: Note from the manufacturers of Nutri-Sect blocks ... "Whilst the UK and EU are in dispute on the subject of feeding dried insects to chickens which are liable to enter the food chain (despite the fact they are still allowed to forage for insects and worms in the garden), we have had to withdraw this product until it is renamed and rebranded as 'for birds' rather than for chickens" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 How utterly ridiculous Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 27, 2014 Author Share Posted January 27, 2014 It seems that all outlets selling them for use with poultry (as opposed to wild birds) have had this letter. It's another 'straight banana' EU ruling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 For goodness sake,whatever next Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 My girls can't read so will be none the wiser. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggasperated Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Do people actually get paid to think up this legislation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 there a statement/letter on practical poultry from the AHVLA on this subject the way it reeds to me is that they are the ones that have instigated this move under existing Animal by-product legislations I've tried to find a release on the ANVLA web site with no luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Home Bargains £1 for 100g bag, their baby wipes are pretty good too (another chicken keepers essential) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 27, 2014 Author Share Posted January 27, 2014 there a statement/letter on practical poultry from the AHVLA on this subject the way it reeds to me is that they are the ones that have instigated this move under existing Animal by-product legislations I've tried to find a release on the ANVLA web site with no luck Yes, I checked the AHVLA and DEFRA sites too in case it was some sort of hoax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Home Bargains £1 for 100g bag, their baby wipes are pretty good too (another chicken keepers essential) What do you use baby wipes for? Am I missing a trick? I've only used them once to clean the head of a polish cockerel, he was being re homed so I wanted him to look handsome As for mealworms, are they bad for us. I saw a programmer where they made some kind of fritters out of ground up mealworms. For human consumption ! Yuk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Home Bargains £1 for 100g bag, their baby wipes are pretty good too (another chicken keepers essential) What do you use baby wipes for? Am I missing a trick? when I do the poop pick in the morning I wipe down the cube roosting bars with baby wipes....keeps things all nice and clean As for the mealworms...my girls would go in to a state of catatonic schizophrenia if they went a day without the shaking of the said mealworm box Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 I havent told my girls yet as I dont want to cause WW3. I always think mealworms would look nice covered in good quality dark choc bit like a bushtrucker challenge in I'm a celeb etc. I will let yiou know. Nom Nom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 I'm guessing that this only applies to dried mealworms and insects, rather than live mealworms. From the little I've been able to read about this, it seems to be to do with dried mealworms/insects coming in from countries who don't necessarily process them in accordance with European requirements. The concern is that they could carry (for example) salmonella. No idea how significant (or not) the risk is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 27, 2014 Author Share Posted January 27, 2014 Reading the letter that's been going out, that seems to be the case Hazel. When you consider what our chickens normally eat - I think the risk from mealworms is the least of our worries... my flock were busy eating up a pool of cat vomit at the weekend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenthelibrarian Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Funnily enough... I was reading up about breeding live mealworms, there's lots of info on bird and reptile keepers' forums. They're the larval stage of little black beetles, so no danger of ending up with nasty bluebottles buzzing about. They seem to need warmth, so I was thinking of trying in the spring. We have a shed and a summerhouse in the garden - I'm not having them in the house I already keep a worm compost bin, which is absolutely seething with lovely wiggly worms, but I always feel very bad about feeding my little workers to my girlies I tend to be in favour of food and farming hygiene regs. I don't want a repeat of the salmonella in eggs scares and the neighbours wanting rid of my dear chooks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 27, 2014 Author Share Posted January 27, 2014 Reading the letter that's been going out, that seems to be the case Hazel. When you consider what our chickens normally eat - I think the risk from mealworms is the least of our worries... my flock were busy eating up a pool of cat vomit at the weekend Do you add corn to the cat vomit or just serve it au naturel ? Naaaahh,just chopped parsley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 What do you use baby wipes for? Am I missing a trick? On a filthy day when washing the cube is not possible I do a quick wipe over with baby wipes, wiping poo from hair/coat/garden chair. Handy to have wipes around for when children visit. Wiping don the tables that the drinkers and feeders stand on between washes. I keep hand gel and cheap kitchen roll in the chook kit too plus scissors, string and cable ties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 This is an interesting topic. I just bought my girls a bag of dried mealworms Perhaps I will feed them to Robbie instead. Thank goodness I only bought a little bag - very tempted by the big sack though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 The world has gone mad Best not tell Defra about the live maggots I bought when Peri had an impacted crop..... Oh the dried shrimps I bought them as a treat.... And well Garvo chicken treat will no doubt be on the chopping block! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlina Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 My hens don't like mealworms. But I'm always concerned about silly laws - like the post-Edwina batch that makes it illegal for me to feed leftovers to the chooks. If the concern is about 'foreign' mealworms then surely the simple answer is to ban non-EU wrigglers? Can salmonella survive in a dried product anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 My hens don't like mealworms Well I never....they really are funny things! Mine used to absolutely go crazy for tuna, but are very unimpressed with it now....silly Billy's..but don't like mealworms....that's a new one on me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 My hens don't like mealworms.But I'm always concerned about silly laws - like the post-Edwina batch that makes it illegal for me to feed leftovers to the chooks. the ban on kitchen s"Ooops, word censored!"s was a result of the foot and mouth out brake which was traced back to illegally imported meat in the old 'pig bins' and as we have a lazy government in the UK the feeding of kitchen and food waste was band as a food source to all animals that are used for the human food chain If the concern is about 'foreign' mealworms then surely the simple answer is to ban non-EU wrigglers? won't happen as that would start a costly trade war as counties that have exports ban would ban EU importsCan salmonella survive in a dried product anyway? I don't think salmonella is the issue it's other nasties that can or might survive the drying method used Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 So what's the general consensus? This has put me off of giving them to my girls might get them some live ones from time to time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 28, 2014 Author Share Posted January 28, 2014 Personally I would continue to feed them - I fail to see how there can be a difference in risk between live and dried ones, and as I don't eat my birds, nor sell their eggs, I am happy to take on any risk which 'may' be attached. This is just my personal opinion though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 (edited) Wise words from 'The dogmother' as per....I will continue to give my girls them unless it is proven bad for them. Edited January 28, 2014 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
