The Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture
While wild birds certainly play their part in keeping insect pest populations under control, domesticated poultry keepers have also long valued their flocks’ pest management powers.
Taking that idea one step further, some chicken farmers aren’t just relying on their birds to eat wild insects – rather, they’re raising bugs for the specific purpose of feeding the flock.
There are plenty of different species to consider as potential home-grown supplements to your birds’ diet. Some of the most popular include black soldier fly (BSF) larvae, mealworms, and even crickets. Each has its own requirements, pros, and cons.
In a recent blog post, ATTRA’s Mike Lewis reviewed some of the key considerations for poultry producers contemplating insect farming as a supplemental feed source.
For one, bear in mind that the word “supplemental” is key: home-grown insects will probably not come anywhere close to replacing your entire feeding program.
Also, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. The choice of insect species, and the scale at which to raise them, will differ from one farm to the next.
Also, while equipment and labor requirements can be fairly minimal, most insect-rearing setups do require daily monitoring.
With those caveats in mind, on-farm insect production can provide a valuable supplement to chickens’ feed rations that takes advantage of the birds’ natural inclinations and turns farm byproducts into valuable resources.
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