Eager to know the answer to Can chickens eat superworms? Lately, I met with a chicken expert who told me this (you’ll be smitten):
Yes, chickens can eat superworms.
Though high in fat content, these worms pack many nutrients ― high in protein content, calcium, and a great source of fiber.
So if you’re itching to learn more, don’t hesitate ― keep scrolling…
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- Superworms offer a nutritious delight that is fiber-, calcium- and protein-rich.
- These worms are high in moisture content, leaving your chickens well hydrated.
- Eating only worms (not recommended), chickens should not consume more than 50-150 worms per day.
Is It Healthy For Chickens To Eat Superworms?
The question often comes up: do worms harbor any health benefits? To settle this age-old question, let me turn to an expert:
According to Heatline’s Registered dietician Amber Charles Alexis[1]:
“Worms are also high in heart-friendly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, and they’re lower in saturated fats than animal protein.”
Superworms pack lots of nutrition, especially protein, and are one of the best feeder worms for reptiles. Besides reptiles that can eat this worm, can chickens eat superworms as well?
Like mealworms, superworms provide salivating nutrients to your chickens, which include protein, fiber, and calcium. Also, superworms have high moisture content, which is excellent for hydration.
Below are some of the benefits the chickens can get from eating superworms:
1. Keep Chickens Hydrated
Superworms are high in moisture content, a tremendous hydrating treat for your chickens.
Here’s a mouth-watering fun fact: An adult worm can have about 55% moisture. Talk about juicy!
But did you know that feeding your chickens superworms can help keep them hydrated when it’s boiling in the summer months? Don’t believe me? Give it a try!
2. Provide Needed Fats For Chickens During Winter
During the winter months, chickens that live further north of the equator will need a lot of body fats to help keep them warm.
Feeding superworms to your chickens during the winter will boost their fat supply and insulate their bodies from the cold.
3. Help Build Strong Bones
Chickens need strong bones to do everyday activities such as foraging for food and moving around.
Luckily, superworms have a high content of calcium. So, chickens that eat superworms will develop stronger bones.
Besides improved bone health, hens laying eggs need calcium. Better yet, those that get enough calcium in their diet will produce better quality and stronger eggs [2].
4. Superworms Help With Moulting Season
Molting season is usually from autumn through spring, when your chickens need plenty of protein.
When your chickens are molting, they use much more energy to regrow their beautiful feathers. The result: a battered immune system. How do you restore it optimally?
Superworms are the answer:
By feeding these worms, your chickens will get the needed protein to keep their immune system strong and help grow back their feathers quickly.
5. Superworms Help Produce Quality Eggs
Hens require a lot of nutrition when they are laying eggs. One of the most vital nutrients is protein.
This nutrient helps the overall quality of the eggs. Hens should have a diet of approximately 16% protein in their diet.
When hens are laying eggs, superworms make an excellent treat for them to help boost egg production and higher quality eggs.
Take a look at those eggs: they’ll be tastier and bigger…
For a visual and must I add more cinematic view, go to this fantastic YouTube video from Wild Nature & Veterinary:
If you’re curious about what kinds of insects your chickens can safely eat, you should definitely check out our articles on “can chickens eat hornworms” and “do chickens eat maggots“. They’ll give you all the information you need to know to keep your feathered friends healthy and happy!
How To Feed Superworms To Chickens?
Chickens will eat just about anything you give them. When it comes to superworms, you can feed them live superworms or dried superworms.
Both are nutritious and will be an excellent treat to give them.
Below are the different methods of feeding live and dried superworms to the chickens:
1. Live Superworms
Feeding the chickens live superworms is the best choice.
These will have the most nutrition in them. To feed them live mealworms, scatter them across the ground, and the chickens will eat them up in no time.
When feeding the live superworms, beware of baby chickens. These worms have a powerful bite and can hurt the chicks.
So, keep a close eye on the chicks if you’re going to let them join in the fun of catching and eating superworms.
2. Dried Superworms
There are a couple of ways to feed dried superworms to the chickens.
Method 1: Ground Toss
Toss the superworms onto the ground. The chickens will start running to it and eating it.
Since they are already dead, you won’t need to worry about baby chickens eating them.
Method 2: Chicken Feed Mix
1. Pour a handful amount of superworms into their feed.
2. Mix the feed thoroughly and place it into their feeding bowls. Easy as pie!
There you have: a treat, simple, sizzling, and delicious!
FAQs
Can Baby Chickens Eat Superworms?
Certainly!
You can feed superworms to baby chickens, but remember to prepare the meal first: chop off the worms’ heads and slice these juicy treats into pieces. They won’t be as stubborn to digest!
How Many Superworms To Feed Chickens?
Chickens can eat 50 – 150 if they eat only worms.
Because of the high protein content, feeding too many of these worms can wreak havoc. Kidney failure and gout are possible gremlins, so keep within limits!
Conclusion
So, can chickens eat superworms? You bet!
Now, pamper your chickens with this delicate treat, a go-to ideal food source and treat for chickens. Whatever you do, don’t go overboard!
These slippery treats are an attractive water source. So, if your chickens are dehydrating, you know the answer!
On the contrary, superworms, gracious as they are, don’t have all the nutrients your chickens require and won’t make up for a poor diet.
So, instead of focusing only on superworms, embrace them as a treat or a supplement to chicken feeds.
Focus on quality commercial feeds, and you ― and your chickens ― will smile.
After all, your backyard chickens will thank you for it any decent diet (in their peculiar ways, of course!).
Lastly, leave your exquisite comments about how much you enjoyed my article. I look forward to hearing from you.
Until next time…
Resources
- 1. Alexis AC. Eating Worms: Nutrients, Safety, and More [Internet]. Healthline. 2022. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/eating-worms#nutrients
- 2. WATKINS RM, DILWORTH BC, DAY EJ. Effect of Calcium Supplement Particle Size and Source on the Performance of Laying Chickens. Poultry Science. 1977;56:1641–7.
Alina Hartley is a small-town girl with a ginormous love of bearded dragons. It all started with Winchester, a baby bearded who was abandoned at the shelter by his former owners because of a birth defect that caused one front leg to be shorter than the other. Alina originally went to the shelter looking for a guinea pig, but one look at Winchester and it was love at first sight. From that day on, Alina has dedicated her life to learning everything she can about bearded dragons. She loves helping new beardie parents start their incredible journey with these magnificent reptiles.
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