CHICKENS
Feeding Guide
A natural, nutritious treat your flock will love. Here's everything you need to know about feeding Calciworms.
CAN MY FLOCK EAT THEM?
Yes! Calciworms can be fed to chickens as a treat or supplement alongside a complete poultry feed — and to ducks, turkeys, game birds and mixed poultry flocks too. They're especially useful for laying hens, naturally high in calcium to support strong eggshells.
Around 10g of Calciworms per hen per day is a useful rule of thumb for laying hens:
Approx. 50 Calciworms
Approx. 100 Calciworms
Approx. 150 Calciworms
This is a guide, not a strict rule. Feed a little less for bantams or smaller birds, and reduce treats if hens start ignoring their layers feed.
| Flock size | Daily amount | Weekly amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1 hen | 10g | 70g |
| 3 hens | 30g | 210g |
| 5 hens | 50g | 350g |
| 10 hens | 100g | 700g |
Calciworms can be fed regularly in small amounts — a few times a week for general treats, or daily in small amounts for laying hens, as long as the main diet stays balanced.
Feed more regularly during moult, when birds are growing new feathers, and use them as needed for training, handling or getting birds back into the coop. Little and often beats one large occasional feed.
- Scatter feeding works best — birds move, scratch and peck, and lower-ranking hens get a fair chance
- Hand-feeding builds trust; many hens learn to come over when they see the tub
- Coop training: feed a small amount at the same time each evening to call the flock in
- Dried Calciworms can be mixed with a little scratch feed as an occasional treat
- Keep layers feed, grit, oyster shell and fresh water available as normal
Simply scatter the Calciworms in the run, on the ground or in a treat dish and let their natural curiosity do the rest. Most hens take to them very quickly.
Top tip
Dried Calciworms also work well in treat balls, hanging feeders or scratch trays — a great way to keep birds busy and add enrichment to the run.
Live or dried Calciworms?
Live Calciworms
Best for encouraging natural behaviour — scratching, pecking, chasing and foraging. Scatter through clean bedding, straw, woodchip, grass or soil so birds have to hunt for them, and great for young poultry learning to search for food.
Dried Calciworms
Best for convenience — easy to store and quick to feed. Ideal for hand-feeding, regular treats, coop training, mixing with scratch feed, winter feeding and larger flocks where live feeding is less practical.
Why choose Calciworms for laying hens?
Naturally high in calcium to support strong eggshells
Adds natural insect protein to the diet
Supports feather growth during moult
Encourages activity, foraging and helps with handling and coop routines
