The answer is, yes; feeding Red Worms (or mealworms but that is a different story) to chickens is an excellent idea. Red Wiggler worms are not only good composting worms, but they can also be used as a protein rich, nutrient packed animal food (i.e., chicken feed).
A healthy chicken can tolerate a worm. However, if their immune systems are down or stressed, a parasite (worm) can populate quickly and cause illness and even death. According to Omlet.us, these are the worms that infect chickens: caecal, gapeworm, gizzard worm, roundworm, and tapeworms.
How many mealworms should chickens eat? Feed your adult chicken 10-12 mealworms each day as a healthy protein-supplement. You can double their mealworm intake in extremes of hot or cold weather, during breeding or showing, and when moulting. This will help your hens to deal with stress.
I would not feed mealworms to chicks until they're a month or so old and again, in great moderation, and always making sure they have access to grit (not oyster shell - they're different!) in the brooder. See this article for more information about treats for chicks.
They can also get worms from eating “host” animals – often earthworms, slugs, flies, grasshoppers, snails or beetles.
Symptoms of a worm infestation in chickens can include: worms in eggs, abnormal droppings, (diarrhea, foamy-looking, etc) weight loss, pale comb/wattles, listlessness, abnormal droppings, dirty vent feathers, worms in droppings or throat, gasping, head-stretching and shaking, reduced egg production and sudden death.
It is common for free-range chickens to consume earthworms. Earthworms are a good-quality protein for use in animal feeds, but the use of earthworm meal is impacted by economics.
“Frequent deworming may also be necessary in a warm, humid climates where intermediate hosts are prevalent year-round. Intermediate hosts are creatures like slugs and grasshoppers that may harbor parasitic worm eggs or larvae. The chicken acquires worms by eating the intermediate host,” she explains.
Illness and parasites
Intestinal worms can greatly affect egg laying and health of a hen.
And they aren't picky; chickens enjoy everything from beetles and grasshoppers to worms and even ticks! Not only do these insects provide protein, but they also give our free range hens an opportunity to engage in their natural instinct to forage.
It can even cause confusion among those who do know about the ban, but do not understand the rationale behind it. To put it simply most mealworms are imported and may have come into contact with, or been fed, animal protein which could then potentially pass on disease.
With 50% protein when dried and 30% protein when they are alive, they are packed with protein. The protein content of live worms is slightly less worrisome from the health point of view. However, dried ones aren't a problem if fed in moderation.
ACV is effective against bacteria, including E. coli and salmonella, meaning that ACV in chicken drinking water can protect against the spread of pathogens and may also help to prevent infection in the gut by improving immune responses. ACV in drinking water can prevent coccidiosis.
There can be many reasons why your chicken may be lame. These can include Scaly Leg Mite infestation, worms, untrimmed nails, injury which can lead to Bumblefoot, or Mycoplasma Synoviae.
Garlic + ACV
If you catch the worm problem quick enough, a simple garlic treatment usually sorts it. Crush a couple of garlic cloves per bird and put in a stocking – this stops it blocking up the water nipple. Hang this in the water bucket and add a generous splosh of apple cider vinegar (live stuff with the mother).
Fenbendazole is the only product that is currently approved for treatment and control of roundworms (Ascaridia spp.) and cecal worms (Heterakis spp.) in chickens and turkeys in the United States.
To meet their protein requirements, fowls would need to eat an unfeasible number of live worms a day, and would still require energy. By all means throw the chooks worms as you dig your patch, but don't rely on them as a significant source of protein.
Chickens can eat any kind of worm they come across. Usually, those are red wrigglers (composting worms) or nightcrawlers (also called earthworms or leaf worms). They can also enjoy larvae from any kind of insect and will enjoy mealworms if they are given as a treat.
Chickens do not urinate in the typical way, they eliminate waste products from the urinary system in the form of urate, which appear as a white cap on the top of the feces. Eggs and fecal matter are both passed through the hen's vent.
Do keep an eye on your chickens droppings, as diarrhoea is always a sign of a sick chicken. Worms in the chicken manure: Worms look like white little hairs that can sometimes be found in a chicken's droppings.
The historical name for this disease is bacillary white diarrhea. Pullorum disease is caused by Salmonella enterica Pullorum and is characterized by very high mortality in young chickens and turkeys.