I was cutting my hair the other day and wondered Can chickens eat hornworms?
By magic, an expert approached me and told me: Yes, chickens can eat hornworms, and it’s a healthy treat for them.
Not only do hornworms have high moisture, keeping your chickens well hydrated, but they’re also nutritious.
If you’re eager to learn more about all these juicy benefits and risks of hornworms, don’t hesitate ― keep reading…
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- Feed Hornworms to your chickens. A refreshing chicken treats rich in essential nutrients ― vitamins, minerals, and protein ― offering a great nutritious punch.
- Never feed hornworms to your chickens under 2 weeks because their digestive systems aren’t ready for these drastic changes.
- Give hornworms to your chickens: let them out in the yard, and they’ll discover this salivating treat themselves!
Is It Healthy For Chickens To Eat Hornworms?
Hornworms pack a nutritious meal high in water content. Better yet, these worms appear only during the summer months. If you don’t believe me, check your tomato plants!
If you have them in the garden, you may wonder if you can let the chickens eat hornworms.
Hornworms are an excellent treat for your chickens.
They’re high in calcium and low in fat content. What’s more, hornworms have a soft exoskeleton, which makes eating and digesting them easy for chickens.
Let me introduce some health benefits:
1. Provide Hydration
Hornworms have a moisture content of around 85%, making them a great water source.
During the summer, when it’s usually hot, chickens lose water from their body quickly. Hot weather and overactivity are to blame.
Thanks to these worms, your chickens will be hydrated!
2. Strong Bones
Calcium helps with developing bones in the body. Not just bones but also the beaks and the nails. Hornworms provide this nutrient since it contains calcium [1].
Chickens feasting on these worms will get the additional calcium they need for healthy and strong bones.
For hens laying eggs, it will help make the eggs stronger and healthy.
Can Baby Chickens Eat Hornworms?
With all the ruffles and flourishes to answer Can chickens eat hornworms, you’ll wonder, “what about the babies?”
Feed your Baby chickens hornworms once they are at least 2 weeks old — and not earlier.
Feeding the chicks early than that could cause them to have digestive issues.
The baby chicks need time to build up the grit they need in their gizzard to digest the hornworm.
After they are at least 2 weeks old, the hornworms are safe for the chicks to eat due to their soft exoskeleton.
Often, baby chicks will peck at the hornworms. They know the worms are too big for them and won’t try eating them whole.
If your chicks attempt this challenge, they’ll be hydrated!
If you’re wondering about adding more variety to your chicken’s diet, you might want to check out our articles on “can chickens eat maggots“, “can chickens eat crickets“, and “can chickens eat superworms“. These articles will give you insights into what your chickens can and cannot eat, so you can provide them with a healthy and balanced diet.
How To Feed Hornworms To Chickens?
Find hornworms scattered across your garden on tomato plants and leafy greens.
To feed these juicy treats to your chickens, proceed as follows:
Method 1:
Let your chickens roam free.
Once they see hornworms, they’ll pick them right off the plants.
Unfortunately, your chickens may pick at something else: your precious plants. So keep an eye on your chickens!
Method 2:
Keep the hornworms in a cage and let them eat the leaves of plants for a couple of days. Living like this will make these worms bigger and juicier.
Once they have reached their maximum size, you can feed them to the chickens.
And you know what’s great? During the hot summer, these worms ― a watery favorite ― are just what your chickens need.
Where Do I Find Hornworms?
You may wonder, “where do I find these delicate, slippery meals?”
You can always try searching for them at your corner pet store, but pet stores may restrict their supply depending on size.
But take heart ― you can look online or in your backyard.
If you decide on the latter option,
Etymologist Xing Ping Hu has this to say about hornworms: “Their favorite plant is the tomato, but they have also been found on pepper, eggplant, and potato plants” [2].
He writes, “They are well camouflaged among the leaves of their host plants” [2].
So, go search your tomatoes from top to bottom. Who knows, luck can strike anyone!
For a great visual review, here’s an excellent video on tomato hornworms:
FAQs
How Many Hornworms To Feed The Chickens?
Feed 1 – 2 worms per serving.
These treats are large and may cause digestion problems for your chickens. So don’t overfeed!
Can Chickens Have Tomato Hornworms?
Yes.
But be careful: tomato can contain solanine, a toxin fatal to chickens in large doses. So don’t feed this worm as a staple food.
Conclusion
So, Can chickens eat hornworms? You bet!
A splendid treat for chickens rich in calcium and other nutrients, hornworms provide a great feast that your chickens will enjoy.
Variety is the secret to optimal nutrition, and thanks to hornworms, this is possible…
But don’t overindulge: if you want to feed your chickens hornworms, do so in moderation.
Just monitor the amount, and your chickens will swell!
So, did you ever feed hornworms to your chickens? Let us know how the experience goes!
Resources
- 1. Mayo Clinic. Are you getting enough calcium? [Internet]. Mayo Clinic. 2018. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/calcium-supplements/art-20047097
- 2. Hu XP. Interesting Hornworms: Beautiful Caterpillars, a Pest, and a Parasitoid Reservoir [Internet]. Alabama Cooperative Extension System. 2022 [cited 2022 Dec 25]. Available from: https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/lawn-garden/interesting-hornworms-beautiful-caterpillars-a-pest-and-a-parasitoid-reservoir/
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