Chickens eating caterpillars

[Meggymojo]

While watering my plants today I took the leisurely sit while soaking them when I met myself eye to eye with a bright yellow caterpillar.

I was unfamiliar with the species so I gloved up to remove it, before noticing another. Then another. And another. Suddenly I realized that my Sweet broom Bush was covered with several dozen of these suckers.

It took me a few minutes to track down the name of these devouring deviants! They are Genista broom moth caterpillars. I’ll include a photo. After removing them from 2 bushes I now have well over 50.


My feathered girls LOVE caterpillars! They take to my green horned tomato worms the way dogs take to table scraps... and equally so I’m grateful. However, being unfamiliar with the species in depth and finding nothing further on the research, I had hoped someone has come across them and tempted fate with their chickens. I’d love to dispose of them to my girl for a well earned treat, but just want to avoid any harm. Please send your wisdom.

 

[azygous]

Your chickens probably would walk away from these guys. The rule on toxicity of caterpillars is the ones that are smooth are okay. The ones with spikes and hairs are to be avoided. Offer one to a chicken. It will probably ignore it.

My chickens are not team players. They refuse to eat horn worms.

 

[Sequel]

Mine won’t eat the spiky caterpillars. Mine are also afraid of pumpkins!

 

[centrarchid]

Mine have trouble with spiked and brightly colored caterpillars. Some that have toxic gut contents like tomato hornworms are bashed around to remove gut contents before consuming. When they are consuming abundant tent caterpillars that can consume toxic plants, the chickens seem to eat a few before moving on to something else. They will readily come back to consume more latter.

Pattern very different for army worms and the like which are consumed without processing and in large amounts. The army worms are likely not consuming plants with as much toxicity.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Mine have trouble with spiked and brightly colored caterpillars. Some that have toxic gut contents like tomato hornworms are bashed around to remove gut contents before consuming. When they are consuming abundant tent caterpillars that can consume toxic plants, the chickens seem to eat a few before moving on to something else. They will readily come back to consume more latter.

Pattern very different for army worms and the like which are consumed without processing and in large amounts. The army worms are likely not consuming plants with as much toxicity.

My first flock was blessed with army worms when they were leaning the ins and outs of free ranging. I hope some day to see them again. Ours were only eating the grasses.