I know there are a lot of chicken lovers out there, and some of them may be asking the same question; Is it a good idea to feed red worms to chickens? The answer is, yes; feeding Red Worms (or mealworms but that is a different story) to chickens is an excellent idea. Red Wiggler worms are not only good composting worms, but they can also be used as a protein rich, nutrient packed animal food (i.e., chicken feed).
Now, if you’re thinking about growing yocur own worms for convenience, then go right ahead. Just know that there is a downside; it takes quite a bit of time and dedication for this self sustaining food source to multiply enough to keep up with demand of your hungry livestock. However, even with the time and energy that goes into the worm farm, you will find it to be very cost effective in the long run. You will be making fewer trips to the feed store which is not only going to save you money but also allow you more time to spend with your precious chickens! So when you’re keeping chickens, try to invest in keeping a worm farm as well.
If you want to immediately start feeding worms to your backyard chickens, then you can find the worms in bait shops, local dealers, and of course online through us. You could also look into your local chicken feed suppliers who just might carry worms for a variety of purposes. You can try looking them up in a directory, or get a hold of them up online.
You can harvest and use worms in the following ways:
- If you have a worm bin at home, then it’s best to just get a few handfuls of the bedding’s active top layer. You should be able to get plenty of worms this way because these worms live within the top 3 inches where there is compostable material (your worm bin or compost pile).If you do not notice any worms with these handfuls, try to get a few more handfuls from the center of the bin. Make sure to spread the handfuls out inside the chicken house so that the chickens can start feeding immediately and there is no chance of the worms crawling away or being eaten by other critters.
- You can harvest worms simultaneously when collecting the castings. This has a dual purpose: feeding your chickens, and allowing you to use the castings as organic fertilizer for your plants! You will be able to segregate the two by applying the dump and sort method or leaving a section under light and periodically brushing off the dirt on the top.
- You can also dry the worms and have them crushed to blend into their feed. Just know that drying any food source causes nutrients to be lost and the chickens love the act of ‘hunting’ their prey. There are several different ways of drying them:
- Place the red worms under an electric light bulb.
- Place them in in a convection oven or dehumidifier.
- Place them in the sun.
After they have dried, simply grind them however you feel works best for you (e.g., food processor, mortar and pestle, a hammer, whatever).
Whether you choose to raise your own or buy them, feed them fresh and wriggling or dry and powdery, the worms are an excellent means to provide sustenance to your chickens! Red Worms are packed with all the nutrients that most livestock or pets benefit from.
18 thoughts on “How To’s On Feeding Red Worms to Chickens”
Hi,thank you for this tip. I tried to make worms by using my chicks manure and the chicken enjoyed it very well, and i saw good results ineggs.am i righright for this method of worms producing.
Sir can u please guide me that what if i place 1pound of earthworm in a hungry-bin …. Than after what time they will be doubled??? Or what will be the approx growth rate aglfter 2months????
I have just housed 250 chicks. Now almost one month. Now I am thinking of freeing them to the yard. Also I intend to adapt ur method of feeding worms.
Thank you for useful information.
Worms are great treats for chickens and cheap raising worms. Also great cheap feed is sprouts! Broccoli sprouts, Alfalfa sprouts, etc… Easy, fast to start sprouts, let grow some, sit in sun to green up, feed to chickens. No need to plant them. If chicken have 2 pens toss sprouts into pen not used for a couple days and let grow then put chickens in that pen, toss sprouts into other pen to grow.
Chickens can scratch, free range somewhat, sprouts an worms.
I have to worry allot about predators here so will need to keep my chickens penned up more than I’d like, for their own safety.
Coffee grounds are an excellent attraction for worms. I get big sacks of coffee worms from my local organic coffee brewer and make piles of coffee grounds near my chicken coop. Every few days I dig up handfuls of delicious nutritious red wigglers. My chickens love them like candy!
Its has no side effects to the chicks and how often should they be fed on worms,thx
I maintain a small flock (8) of chickens in my back yard. I used to let them have the run of the place. It wasn’t long before my yard looked like a desert. The ate everything. The yard was teaming with vegetation and insects. There was lots of worms also. Now I keep them couped.
I use deep litter in the coup and feed the chickens all of the kitchen scraps.
Now I’m interested in raising worms to build up the soil that the chickens left barren. As the chickens poop in the litter and mix it together scratching in it, it becomes ideal bedding for worms. In return the chickens will have their diets supplemented with a few worms. I can supplement my diet with eggs and homegrown veggies fertilized with castings.
Will the worms go into the soil and not just stay on top
Can the chickens eat worms out of your mouth?
Why?
REDWORMS will not go deep. They actually stay on the top five inches. They are super easy to grow in the basement or garage and they will not smell at all. The bedding and castings smell like rich healthy soil.
Hi. I have a couple of raised beds for tomatoes and squash. Can I raise red worms in them for my chickens? How do I do this?
Hello
I run a poultry and I’m interested in how to bread the worms?
My chickens like the earthworms I get from my yard or from the street after a rain. But when I feed them a clump of red wigglers from my worm farm, they turn up their noses. They’ll eat a few, especially if very hungry. But they’re not super crazy about them, even if they see the worms wiggling. Wondering if the taste is “off” because there are a lot of worm castings in the worm tray, where the worms have lived for a few months, with food scraps continuously added on top. I’ve tried washing organic matter off the worms first, but it doesn’t help much. Would it help to “cleanse” them a few days in regular dirt or some other substrate? Can I put something on the worms to deodorize them to make them tastier? I know my chickens love watermelon and its juice. Or maybe sugar water?
Is the red wriggler a good protein saurce for the Broiler? Would it slow down the growth rate, or give them any other problems?
So many questions from people but I don’t see any of them being answered ?
I wish you would and also customers who can learn from those answers ?!!
I would like to learn more about worms n how I can get worms to farm
Hello Lucy;
There is a ton of information on our site under Education/Blog. I have attached the link for you. From there, when you are ready to order worms and supplies to start, you can click on our Buy Live Worms tab and it will take you there. We also have a great Customer Service Department that you can call and we are always happy to help you find the right composting supplies for your needs. https://unclejimswormfarm.com/blog/
Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm