It is fair to say that cockroaches aren't always welcome, regardless of whether you are squeamish or not. However, will they be eaten by your birds? Can this be beneficial or risky?
In the pursuit of food, warmth, and shelter, cockroaches may be attracted to the coop. As long as the roaches do not contain poisons or chemicals that may harm your birds, they should be generally safe to eat.
When chickens forage, they will consume insects, bugs, worms, and any other grubs they encounter. This is something every chicken keeper should expect.
Moreover, this has a number of advantages.
Cockroaches are actually loaded with vitamins and minerals, despite sounding quite disgusting to you and me.
For example, the American cockroach contains:
It is easy to see that cockroaches are capable of providing a wide range of important nutrients, ranging from protein to calcium.
Any spilled feed, leftover food, poop, or dirty bedding that is left unattended will attract cockroaches. When you see roaches in the coop, you may well have an infestation (or more than you imagine).
We must assume that they are in some way aware that they are vulnerable prey to a monster that pounces on them like a dinosaur.
As you can see from the above information, cockroaches do not like good housekeeping, so you need to practice it to keep them out of your chicken coop.
As a bonus, your flock will benefit either way.
Cockroaches and other pests such as mice can be attracted to piles of leaves near coops. However, let's assume the infestation is quite extensive. And you already have a good housekeeping system in place. Is there anything you can do?
As far as we know, chickens will eat cockroaches. This can be used to our advantage. We can actually increase the likelihood of our chickens seeking them out if we do not overfeed them.
Cockroaches are usually free to explore at night when chickens are sleeping on the roost and their eyesight is completely impaired. It is usually at this time that they emerge. So they may not always be visible to your chickens, or available to eat them.
This requires a little bit of strategic thinking.
Poisoning the cockroaches in an attempt to kill them might be tempting. I do not recommend this. You could end up harming your birds if they eat any dead or poisoned roach.
It is thankfully possible to remove these insects with some safe home remedies and products that are much cheaper than buying insecticides.
This is actually earth-derived sand with fossils of microscopic organisms that have been preserved over millions of years. DE kills the cockroach by breaking down its exoskeleton, causing it to die of dehydration.
There is one critical caveat here: it must be food-grade. In essence, this means you and I can eat it along with our chickens.
It is simply a matter of mixing baking soda, sugar, and water in equal parts. Put this in the chicken coop in a box containing holes big enough for roaches to get in, but too small for the chickens to peck in.
Cockroaches will be drawn to the sugar in the solution, so they will begin eating it. Then they will be unable to pass the gas caused by the baking soda, so they will eventually blow up.
Even though it isn't the most humane approach, it is very effective. A few containers of the solution may be needed to get the cockroaches to consume it.
In the event that your chickens consume baking soda, they will not suffer the same fate. A few poultry farmers even use it as a medicine in their flocks due to its alkaline nature.
It is still important to keep your chickens from accessing this mixture because they are likely to eat it, which will prevent the cockroaches from gaining access.
Definitely not what we want!
Nevertheless, an infestation in the coop should never be taken lightly. It is therefore important to look into doing something if you are noticing an increase in roaches. Your coop should first be clean and not attract these types of pests.
You can then choose one of many safe options. The most effective home remedy is probably Diatomaceous Earth (DE), although there are other options.
Ultimately, just make sure your flock is safe. The use of poison is not recommended, no matter how tempting it may seem.
In the pursuit of food, warmth, and shelter, cockroaches may be attracted to the coop. As long as the roaches do not contain poisons or chemicals that may harm your birds, they should be generally safe to eat.
When chickens forage, they will consume insects, bugs, worms, and any other grubs they encounter. This is something every chicken keeper should expect.
Moreover, this has a number of advantages.
Cockroaches are actually loaded with vitamins and minerals, despite sounding quite disgusting to you and me.
For example, the American cockroach contains:
- Protein
- Fiber
- Magnesium
- Sodium
- Potassium
- Iron
- Manganese
- Copper
- Zinc
- Phosphorous
- Calcium
It is easy to see that cockroaches are capable of providing a wide range of important nutrients, ranging from protein to calcium.
Can chickens attract cockroaches?
When left unattended, a chicken's coop will attract cockroaches, not the chickens themselves. The cockroach is an opportunistic insect that will seek out food, shelter, and warmth wherever it can. And it makes no sense why they wouldn't settle down in your coop if you can provide this.Any spilled feed, leftover food, poop, or dirty bedding that is left unattended will attract cockroaches. When you see roaches in the coop, you may well have an infestation (or more than you imagine).
We must assume that they are in some way aware that they are vulnerable prey to a monster that pounces on them like a dinosaur.
As you can see from the above information, cockroaches do not like good housekeeping, so you need to practice it to keep them out of your chicken coop.
As a bonus, your flock will benefit either way.
My chicken coop has roaches, what should I do?
Your chicken coop can be rid of roaches relatively easily. Multiple methods exist for doing so. Preventive measures are always preferable to curative measures. In order to keep your coop free of cockroaches, check to ensure you are not accidentally inviting them in.Cockroaches and other pests such as mice can be attracted to piles of leaves near coops. However, let's assume the infestation is quite extensive. And you already have a good housekeeping system in place. Is there anything you can do?
As far as we know, chickens will eat cockroaches. This can be used to our advantage. We can actually increase the likelihood of our chickens seeking them out if we do not overfeed them.
Cockroaches are usually free to explore at night when chickens are sleeping on the roost and their eyesight is completely impaired. It is usually at this time that they emerge. So they may not always be visible to your chickens, or available to eat them.
This requires a little bit of strategic thinking.
Poisoning the cockroaches in an attempt to kill them might be tempting. I do not recommend this. You could end up harming your birds if they eat any dead or poisoned roach.
It is thankfully possible to remove these insects with some safe home remedies and products that are much cheaper than buying insecticides.
Diatomaceous Earth (DE)
There are many natural products that can effectively kill bugs, but diatomaceous earth is one of the most powerful. As a result, it is a wonderful non-toxic product to keep on hand to get rid of cockroaches, fleas, and ticks.This is actually earth-derived sand with fossils of microscopic organisms that have been preserved over millions of years. DE kills the cockroach by breaking down its exoskeleton, causing it to die of dehydration.
There is one critical caveat here: it must be food-grade. In essence, this means you and I can eat it along with our chickens.
Sugar and Baking Soda
Possibly the best home remedy there is! In addition to being quick and simple, it is cost-effective and ruthless when it comes to cockroaches.It is simply a matter of mixing baking soda, sugar, and water in equal parts. Put this in the chicken coop in a box containing holes big enough for roaches to get in, but too small for the chickens to peck in.
Cockroaches will be drawn to the sugar in the solution, so they will begin eating it. Then they will be unable to pass the gas caused by the baking soda, so they will eventually blow up.
Even though it isn't the most humane approach, it is very effective. A few containers of the solution may be needed to get the cockroaches to consume it.
In the event that your chickens consume baking soda, they will not suffer the same fate. A few poultry farmers even use it as a medicine in their flocks due to its alkaline nature.
It is still important to keep your chickens from accessing this mixture because they are likely to eat it, which will prevent the cockroaches from gaining access.
Definitely not what we want!
Conclusion
In the event that they are given the opportunity, chickens are likely to eat cockroaches. It is quite possible to argue that the nutrition offered is even beneficial. As it turns out, cockroaches are incredibly nutritious insects.Nevertheless, an infestation in the coop should never be taken lightly. It is therefore important to look into doing something if you are noticing an increase in roaches. Your coop should first be clean and not attract these types of pests.
You can then choose one of many safe options. The most effective home remedy is probably Diatomaceous Earth (DE), although there are other options.
Ultimately, just make sure your flock is safe. The use of poison is not recommended, no matter how tempting it may seem.
