We get this question from backyard chicken keepers more than any other. Someone buys their first bag, watches their hens lose their minds over it, and then wonders if they should be worried about feeding too many. Fair question. Mealworms are rich, and chickens have zero self-control around them.
Start with the 10% rule
Treats of any kind, and that includes dried mealworms, should stay around 10% of what your chickens eat in a day. The rest should be a complete layer or grower feed, because that feed is already balanced and does the heavy lifting.
For a standard laying hen, that works out to about 1 to 2 tablespoons of dried mealworms per bird per day. Bantams get about half that. Chicks over 8 weeks can have a small pinch of crushed mealworms a few times a week alongside their starter feed, and honestly, watching chicks discover mealworms for the first time never gets old.
When to be more generous
There are a few times of year when extra protein genuinely earns its keep.
Moulting season is the big one. Feathers are mostly protein, so when your birds drop them in late summer and fall, a little extra helps them regrow faster. Winter is another. Wild insects disappear, days get short, and the natural fat in mealworms gives your birds fuel to keep warm. And if your hens are laying heavily, steady protein helps them keep up without wearing down.
How to feed them
Scatter them on the ground and let the flock forage. It keeps them busy, it looks hilarious, and it is the closest thing to how chickens would eat insects in the wild. You can also mix them into feed or use them for training. Chickens learn surprisingly fast when mealworms are on the table. No fridge needed either, just keep the bag sealed somewhere cool and dry.
Can you feed too many?
You can. Mealworms are high in protein and fat, and a hen that fills up on treats will eat less of her balanced feed. If you notice birds turning their beaks up at regular feed and holding out for worms, you have created a monster, and it is time to scale back. Stick close to that 10% line and you will be fine.
A note on quality
Not all mealworms are equal, and the difference comes down to what the insects themselves were fed. Ours are raised on a natural, organic-based diet and produced to Canadian standards, which is why the bags smell clean and the worms arrive whole instead of crushed into dust. You can find our dried mealworms here, from small 85 g bags up to 66 lb bulk boxes, and dried insect orders over 1 lb ship free anywhere in Canada.
If your hens are laying and you want stronger shells, it is also worth mixing in some black soldier fly larvae. They carry far more calcium than mealworms and the two make a good team during laying season.