Can Chickens Eat Mealworms?
Chickens can eat mealworms — live or dried, they're the highest-enthusiasm, highest-protein treat in the book.
The why
Mealworms are concentrated protein (dried ones run ~50%), which makes them genuinely useful during molt when feathers demand it. No treat trains chickens faster — a shaken bag of dried mealworms will recall a free-ranging flock from anywhere on the property.
How to feed it
Scatter a small handful, use them for taming and training, or bump portions slightly during fall molt.
Worth knowing
They're rich — a small handful per few birds, not a bowlful. Note for UK/EU readers: feeding dried insects to laying hens is restricted there; US backyard keepers are fine.
The 90/10 rule: whatever the treat, a laying flock's diet should stay about 90% balanced feed. Treats — even the healthy ones — are the garnish, not the meal. Wondering what your flock really costs to feed? Try our free egg cost calculator.
📄 Free printable: The Chicken Never List
The 15 foods that can hurt your flock, on one page — print it, tape it inside the feed-bin lid.
Keep your whole flock on track
Homestead Paradise tracks your birds, eggs, feed costs, and health records in one place — and Harold, your homestead advisor, reads your records and tells you what he'd do next. Snap a photo of a mystery plant or bug with Harold's Eyes before it ends up in the run.
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