Worms, eating of

[Sue]

Hi
On another post Eyren mentioned that maggots could chew through a blockage in a hens crop - now this led me on the question, how long do worms and insects live in the hen's crop? As they are (mostly) swallowed whole what happens to them?

Sue

[Flummery]

I imagine they get scrunched to death in the gizzard with the grit that scruches up the food to make it digestible. What a way to die!

[KimT]

Oh yuk! Even thinking about it makes me feel queasy and actually seeing the girls gulp big fat ones down the size of serpent put me off eating for a while!!

[Nicos]

Have to say that I'm a bit protective of my worms!!!! ( well not that I have any personally )

When I was digging the field the gals were gulping them down- hmm- many had been chopped in half too!
Eventually I felt awful that between us we were destroying one of the most important little helpers I'd need to convert the field into a potager. I tried using a fork but it was too compacted to use.
So...now I try and keep the gals away from wormy areas- or at least give them a head start to get back underground!!!!

Crushed to death in the gizzard???.....hmmmm.......

[pipscariad]

Hm. Some posts I just shouldn't read. Feel sick now. (Don't take it personally, I'm a bit squemish )

[Snadger]

I was feeding worms to my chooks yesterday.......but just the soft squelchy ones that wouldn't stay on a fishing hook! Went fishing today and forgot to take the worms.......it's probably the reason why I didn't catch any fish! Lol

Chooks will get a treat tomorrow with the remaining rubbery worms!

[HayleyB]

Threw my lot a drowned mouse today, should'a seen the whitey running around trying to escape from the others with it

[Sue]

Nicos
Yes, my poor old worms. The trouble is I've fenced round the allotment so the girls can come out of their run and of course, when I'm digging it's hens everywhere and my poor worms getting slaughtered. The up side is that this plot should be pretty slug free by now and I've seen a fair few wireworms go down the long red lane.
However having worked hard on compost and mulching, the worm population is very healthy and when I've planted up each row I move the fence so it's out of bounds for them and gives the worms some recovery time.
Sue

[Glutton4...]

Threw my lot a drowned mouse today, should'a seen the whitey running around trying to escape from the others with it

That made me laugh! They turn into bloomin' nutters if one has a worm that I chucked over the fence! Why can't they just keep quiet and eat it - but no, they have to broadcast to the world then try to hide and eat it in secret - idiot!

Soooooooooo funny to watch tho'

[Eyren]

Threw my lot a drowned mouse today, should'a seen the whitey running around trying to escape from the others with it

Back when I had one bantam and one Speckledy, mine killed a mouse that had the temerity to raid their run for spilt grain - I found one of them running around bashing it on the ground and the other chasing her and squawking like nobody's business!

Little velociraptors, the lot of them!

[OverWyreGrower]

Mine eat frogs... it's horrible

[janeyo]

My little boy used to like to feed the worms we found in the garden to the chooks. Then I told him they were really good for the garden. NOW he transplants them to HIS little bit of garden and the poor chooks go without lol

[lettucegrow!]

Ok did I read that right,HayleyB, you fed your hens a drowned mouse! What have I let myself in for? I am a bit worried about the frogs in my garden, (which have their own big water bucket I call a pond),it's right near their coop- so they're gonna eat them them?!
Oh help? I have enough trouble keeping the cat away from the poor things

[frias]

Yep, they'll eat them. I used to have a garden full of frogs. really had to watch where I walked at night especially when it rained. Last rainy night I only saw one and no idea where he managed to hide when the girls are about.

[lettucegrow!]

Oh no. I had no idea they would other live things! Thought it was grain and stuff, bit of greenery thrown in! What a learning curve!!:?