The complete guide to
feeding Calci Worms
to your chickens.

The nutritional case

Why Calci Worms are the best treat for UK chickens

Live Calci Worms — the larval stage of the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) — are not simply a treat. They are one of the most nutritionally complete live foods you can give a laying hen, and they support behaviours that backyard chickens are instinctively driven to express.

The calcium advantage is the headline number. Laying hens require significant calcium daily — approximately 4g per egg — to form strong shells. Calci Worms contain roughly 37 times more calcium than dried mealworms, which means even a modest weekly serving delivers a meaningful nutritional contribution to your hens' overall intake.

Beyond calcium, live larvae retain full moisture content (roughly 70% water), which contributes to hydration — particularly valuable in summer. They are also rich in beneficial fats, essential amino acids and natural antimicrobial compounds that support gut health.

From a behavioural standpoint, live larvae trigger natural foraging instincts. Chickens were not designed to eat from static feeders — they evolved to scratch, chase and hunt. A tube of live Calci Worms scattered on the ground provides 10–15 minutes of active, enriched foraging that significantly reduces stress and boredom, particularly in confined runs.

The legal question: why dried mealworms are not an option

This is one of the most common gaps in knowledge among backyard chicken keepers. The regulation is not widely publicised, but it is enforceable. It exists to protect the food chain — cooked poultry that has been fed processed insect protein enters a regulatory grey area that the UK's post-BSE animal feed rules were designed to prevent.

Live BSFL are specifically recognised as safe and appropriate for poultry. They are not processed, they are not a mammalian-derived product, and they do not fall under the processed animal protein regulations. This makes live Calci Worms the only insect treat that UK chicken keepers can feed with complete legal confidence.

How to feed Calci Worms to your chickens

The easy-pour tube design means no scooping or mess — just point and pour. A few techniques to get the most out of each tube:

How much per hen? A small handful (approximately 10–20g) per hen, 3–5 times per week, is a well-balanced supplement alongside layers' pellets or mash. Calci Worms should be treated as a supplement, not a replacement for complete feed.

Storing your Calci Worms

Live BSFL are not difficult to keep, but they have specific requirements. The key rules:

• Temperature: 10–15°C is ideal. A garage, outbuilding, cool shed or cool kitchen shelf works well. They slow down in the cold and stay fresh longer.
• Never airtight: BSFL need airflow. Keep the tube lid slightly open or use the ventilation tab. A sealed container will kill them quickly.
• Never refrigerate: Too cold — larvae go dormant and often don't recover well.
• Shelf life: 7–10 days from delivery when stored correctly. Most active in the first 3–4 days.
• If they arrive cold: Place them somewhere slightly warmer (15–20°C) for 15 minutes — they often revive from transit cold.

Seasonal feeding guide

Breed notes — who benefits most?

All chickens benefit from live Calci Worms, but some circumstances make them particularly valuable:

Heavy laying breeds (Warren, Isa Brown, Leghorn) — highest calcium demand due to egg production volume. Daily supplementation makes a visible difference to shell quality.

Bantams — smaller body size means less margin for nutritional shortfalls. Smaller, more frequent servings work better than one large feed.

Moulting birds — any breed mid-moult has dramatically elevated protein requirements. This is the single most impactful time to increase Calci Worm frequency.

Rescue hens — commercial hens often arrive with depleted calcium reserves and poor feather condition. Live Calci Worms support rapid recovery and provide the engagement that helps nervous birds adjust to a new environment.

Broody hens — a broody hen often stops eating properly. Live Calci Worms are frequently the only treat that tempts a determined broody off the nest long enough to eat, drink and stretch.

Troubleshooting

My hens won't eat them. This is normal the first time — some hens are cautious about unfamiliar food that moves. Scatter a small handful and walk away. Curiosity usually wins within one session. After the first taste, most hens become enthusiastic.

The larvae aren't moving much. Cold transit can make larvae sluggish. Move the tube to somewhere slightly warmer for 15–20 minutes. If they're still not moving after that, contact us — we'll sort it.

One hen is grabbing everything. Scatter widely across a larger area, or split the feed across multiple small piles. This works naturally with the foraging behaviour you're trying to encourage.

Eggshells haven't improved. Calcium from Calci Worms builds up over time — it's not an overnight fix. Most keepers notice visible shell improvement after 3–4 weeks of consistent feeding. If shells remain very thin after 6 weeks, also check your hens' main feed calcium level and whether they have access to oyster grit.