Any such thing as too many black soldier fly larvae

[TaylorGlade]

Anything you purposely feed your bird is a treat besides the pelleted or crumbled feed.
So yes, kitchen scraps, fruits, vegetables and black soldier fly larva that your purposely feeding is a treat.

Thank you

 

[Perris]

I know that chickens are not supposed to eat more than 10% of their diet in treats. What is considered a treat? If a chicken free ranges, it eats lots of bugs. Is that a treat? Is there a difference between the bugs that chickens eat free-ranging, and black soldier fly larva? I guess what is considered a treat? Fruits and vegetables? Or anything outside of their commercial feed? If it's anything outside of their commercial feed, how do you limit a free-ranging chicken from the only having 10%

excellent questions. You might find some answers, or at least find this interesting, on home made feed, 'treats', forage, and the 10% myth (ask those who call it rule to show you the evidence for it, instead of just repeating it)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...eat-tears-a-calculator-or-deep-pockets.78655/

 

[Red Mangrove]

and you should also be aware that the wild chickens in Fitzgerald are human - supported. They had been released to the wild with intent of creating a truly feral flock (as exists in Hawaii and the FL Keys) and the birds moved to town, not maintaining a significant feral population where released. Oveido FL is similar, and maintains a smaller "feral" flock than my own small collection of birds. Bastrop, TX the same.

I met a farmer a few months ago that owned 50 or so acres of scrubland. He had these tough cows that were specifically adapted for wilderness free-ranging, and yet every single cow was parked less than 30 feet from his house. Far easier calories from begging than eating palmettos

If I was a cow or a chicken I would probably do the exact same thing. You make a good point though

 

[TaylorGlade]

excellent questions. You might find some answers, or at least find this interesting, on home made feed, 'treats', forage, and the 10% myth (ask those who call it rule to show you the evidence for it, instead of just repeating it)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...eat-tears-a-calculator-or-deep-pockets.78655/

That is a fascinating read for sure! But it seems it is geared towards free ranging chickens. We are unable to free range ours though, so foraging is limited. Is there something similar that addresses chickens that live in a run? I asked the question about free ranging chickens trying to understand the different dietary restrictions or feeding requirements between the two birds. I am ultimately interested in making our own feed though. I wonder how this article translates to what I can find locally and how I would need to modify it for our chickens who cannot range

 

[Perris]

OK, so coming back to your original questions:

What is considered a treat?

Forget the word. It means whatever the speaker wants it to mean. Just give your chickens stuff you recognize as food.

Is there a difference between the bugs that chickens eat free-ranging, and black soldier fly larva?

yes. BSFL or mealworms (like everything else) are composed of what they eat, and what they eat depends on what they were fed in the case of farmed insects and what they could find in the case of wild fauna that free ranging chickens might find. Mealworms are much easier to raise than BSFL, and are at least as healthy (depending on what they're fed of course), and if you raised them yourself you could (in principle) add whatever supplements you want to their diet and thus to your chickens' diet. Here are some articles of relevance for you to read if you want to know more
https://mealwormcare.org/life-cycle/
https://www.edibleinsects.com/insect-nutrition-information/
https://www.fao.org/3/i3253e/i3253e.pdf

 

[TaylorGlade]

OK, so coming back to your original questions:

Forget the word. It means whatever the speaker wants it to mean. Just give your chickens stuff you recognize as food.

yes. BSFL or mealworms (like everything else) are composed of what they eat, and what they eat depends on what they were fed in the case of farmed insects and what they could find in the case of wild fauna that free ranging chickens might find. Mealworms are much easier to raise than BSFL, and are at least as healthy (depending on what they're fed of course), and if you raised them yourself you could (in principle) add whatever supplements you want to their diet and thus to your chickens' diet. Here are some articles of relevance for you to read if you want to know more
https://mealwormcare.org/life-cycle/
https://www.edibleinsects.com/insect-nutrition-information/
https://www.fao.org/3/i3253e/i3253e.pdf

I just realized that article you linked was written by you. That is a wonderful read - informative without being overwhelming. I thought BSF were higher in nutrition than meal worms? How does your feeding regime translate to non-ranged chickens?

 

[Perris]

I just realized that article you linked was written by you. That is a wonderful read - informative without being overwhelming. I thought BSF were higher in nutrition than meal worms? How does your feeding regime translate to non-ranged chickens?

this article compares them
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281779179_Complete_Nutrient_Content_of_Four_Species_of_Commercially_Available_Feeder_Insects_Fed_Enhanced_Diets_During_Growth?enrichId=rgreq-f77e1bf937df1f8aab5b3d59b0310ba3-XXX&enrichSource=Y292ZXJQYWdlOzI4MTc3OTE3OTtBUzoyNzQzMTQ0ODMyNDUwNTZAMTQ0MjQxMzA3NzE4Ng==&el=1_x_2&_esc=publicationCoverPdf
sorry that is mealworms and 3 others types; I'll find the one on BSFL asap

this one has them (and others)
https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-animal-021419-083930

 

[Perris]

I just realized that article you linked was written by you. That is a wonderful read - informative without being overwhelming

thank you; I'm glad you found it useful

How does your feeding regime translate to non-ranged chickens?

it doesn't really, beyond the bare messages of give them real food not ultra-processed fake food, make sure it's fresh not stale, and give them variety. Is ranging really impossible for your chickens?

 

[TaylorGlade]

thank you; I'm glad you found it useful

it doesn't really, beyond the bare messages of give them real food not ultra-processed fake food, make sure it's fresh not stale, and give them variety. Is ranging really impossible for your chickens?

It would be difficult at best. I can stand on either my back or front porch and count 5-6 hawk nests in either direction. We also have frequent coyotes and owls. Stray cats and neighbors dogs as well. Also, our neighbors would not be impressed with having chickens in their yards. We live in what used to be a rural community but is becoming congested. Also, if they ran off into the woods, I don't know how I would find them. None of them are old enough to lay as of yet (we have 3 that are close - the rest are 9-10 weeks old).

We have 5 acres. Only 1/3 of an acre is cleared. The rest is wild woodland. It has very thick underbrush that would require a hatchet to get through. But the land is deep - not wide, so the neighbors are close. If I let the chickens out, I have no way of keeping them out of the woods or the neighbors yards.

I was also told you should keep them in the run until they are laying. They do have a very large covered run though. And we are going to expand it come fall. We've been having 100 degree weather lately and it's been too hot to do much.

 

[Red Mangrove]

It would be difficult at best. I can stand on either my back or front porch and count 5-6 hawk nests in either direction. We also have frequent coyotes and owls. Stray cats and neighbors dogs as well. Also, our neighbors would not be impressed with having chickens in their yards. We live in what used to be a rural community but is becoming congested. Also, if they ran off into the woods, I don't know how I would find them. None of them are old enough to lay as of yet (we have 3 that are close - the rest are 9-10 weeks old).

We have 5 acres. Only 1/3 of an acre is cleared. The rest is wild woodland. It has very thick underbrush that would require a hatchet to get through. But the land is deep - not wide, so the neighbors are close. If I let the chickens out, I have no way of keeping them out of the woods or the neighbors yards.

If you give them food they'll never leave you. I have a lot of borderline feral chickens such as Egyptian Fayoumi, and while they do go explore the forest every day they always return here to eat the free food, lay their eggs somewhere safe and raise their children somewhere safe. Your domestic breeds probably won't venture more than 100 feet from your house if you opened the doors up for them. My RIR are fat and lazy and just like to sit outside waiting for scraps all the time

I have foxes, possums, racoons, stray dogs, hawks, owls, minks, bobcats and even a Florida panther. My chickens evade them all without difficulty, largely because my land is heavily forested. It's large empty fields that get chickens murdered, not forests. The Red Junglefowl is primarily a forest dwelling animal

Most humans seem to think of chickens as fragile dolls that need constant attention, but in my experience if you trust them and their instincts, they won't let you down. Even my one silkie is doing fine out there in the forest, and I literally hear the foxes doing their black metal shrieking at night as they prowl my land looking for prey