Description
This is a Farm Fest exclusive subscription. Free delivery is included on every order — not just the first one. Permanently.
Normal delivery on a Calci Worm subscription is £4 per order. Subscribe here at the show and that charge disappears — on every single renewal, for as long as you stay subscribed. It’s our way of saying thank you for finding us at Stoneleigh Park.
What are Live Calci Worms?
Live Calci Worms are the common name for live black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) — the most nutritious live treat available for backyard chickens in the UK. Not just a treat. A genuinely superior source of calcium, protein, and essential fats that hens in the wild would naturally seek out.
The difference over mealworms is significant. Live BSFL retain their full moisture content and natural calcium reserves, delivering approximately 37 times more calcium than dried mealworms. For laying hens, that calcium directly translates to stronger eggshells, fewer soft-shell or broken eggs, and healthier bone density across your entire flock.
And then there’s the reaction. Your hens will run. They’ll hear the tube rattle and sprint across the garden. There is no other treat that gets that response.
British-farmed. Not imported.
Most live BSFL sold in the UK are imported — often shipped long distances in conditions that reduce vitality and freshness by the time they arrive. Every Calci Worm from Syntects hatches, grows, and is dispatched from our own grow rooms in Yoxall, Staffordshire.
We raise our larvae on UK surplus food and spent grain, keeping the whole operation genuinely circular. The frass they produce becomes Flytiliser — our insect frass fertiliser for gardens and allotments. One farm, no waste, two harvests. That’s what British insect farming looks like when it’s done properly.
No imports. No long transit times. Just fresh, active larvae dispatched alive directly to your door, at the frequency you choose.
Are dried mealworms illegal for chickens?
Yes — and this matters. In the UK, dried insects are illegal to feed to poultry under animal feed regulations. This includes dried mealworms and dried Calci Worms. Live insects are fully DEFRA compliant, and live Calci Worms are specifically recognised as safe and appropriate for laying hens.
If you have been feeding dried mealworms to your flock, switching to live Calci Worms is not just a nutritional upgrade — it is the legally correct choice.
The nutrition at a glance
| Live Calci Worms | Dried mealworms | |
|---|---|---|
| Calcium | 37× higher | Baseline |
| Protein | ~42% of dry weight | ~50% dry weight |
| Legal to feed poultry | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Live enrichment | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| British-farmed | ✓ Yes | Rarely |
How many do I need?
- 1–3 hens — monthly subscription is plenty
- 4–6 hens — fortnightly is the sweet spot
- 7–10 hens — weekly keeps them happy
- 10+ hens — weekly, consider two tubes
How to feed them
Scatter feeding — sprinkle directly on the ground and watch your flock forage naturally. Keeps them active, stimulated, and doing what chickens are supposed to do.
Mix with feed — stir a handful through layers’ pellets or mash for an effortless nutritional top-up at every feed.
Hand feeding — the fastest way to tame a nervous hen or bond with a new bird. Works every single time.
Rainy day enrichment — when your flock is stuck inside and getting bored, a tube of Calci Worms gives them the stimulation they’d normally get from foraging outdoors.
First time? Start with a small amount — a handful scattered on the ground. Once they’ve worked out what the tube means, they’ll run when they hear it rattle.
Storage
Keep your tube cool and ventilated — a garage, shed, utility room, or cool kitchen spot is ideal. Never refrigerate — cold slows the larvae down and stresses them. Use within a few days of delivery for best results. The easy-pour tube design means no scooping, no mess, and no escapees.
Your subscription, your way
Choose weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly delivery. Skip a week if you’re away. Pause if you need to. Cancel any time with no penalties. There is no contract and no commitment — just fresh Calci Worms arriving when you need them, with free delivery on every single order.
This free delivery rate is locked in at the point of subscription. It applies to all renewal orders for as long as your subscription remains active.
About Syntects
We’re a family-run insect farm based in Yoxall, Staffordshire, established in 2022. We grow black soldier fly larvae through their full lifecycle — from egg to larvae to frass — entirely on our own site, using UK surplus food as feed. Our Calci Worms are dispatched fresh each week. Our frass becomes Flytiliser. Nothing is wasted.
We’re at Farm Fest because we believe in meeting our customers in person — the people who care enough about their hens and their gardens to spend a weekend at an agricultural show. That’s our kind of customer.
