Black Soldier Fly Larvae: A Snowstorm Superfood for Your Poultry

The snowstorm here in Virginia this last week got us thinking about the real benefits we have seen within our poultry when we feed them Black Soldier Fly larvae (BSFL) as part of their established diet. It also gave us the opportunity to explore the best feeding practices during austere conditions. We are excited to share these tips for those of you who are affected by snowstorms and long winters. 

Many poultry owners overlook the use of BSFL as a way to establish a consistent food source when other diets may be affected by environmental factors, such as our recent snowfall. They assume that their hens will not lay eggs in the winter, and therefore do not warrant additional investment beyond a heat lamp to keep them warm.

While this way of viewing flock management keeps the birds alive, it does not maximize their health and production viability. During winter, free-range chickens lose access to their natural food sources like insects and vegetation, and this is especially true when snow covers the ground. This can lead to nutritional deficiencies, impacting their health and egg production. Supplementing their diet with BSFL offers a natural solution to keep your flock thriving throughout the colder months.

For non-free range flocks, extra BSFL will ensure they are getting the protein and fats needed to thrive in austere conditions and reduce overall stress.

Why BSFL are a Winter Essential

• Rich in Nutrients: BSFL boast a well-balanced nutritional profile, packed with protein, healthy fats, amino acids, and essential minerals like calcium and phosphorus. These nutrients are crucial for maintaining your chickens' overall health, immune function, and reproductive performance.
• Natural Foraging Behavior: Chickens instinctively peck and scratch for insects. Offering BSFL caters to this natural foraging behavior, providing both mental stimulation and physical activity, which is especially important when they're confined to the coop during winter. Crack a bale of hay in half, throw in a few scoops of BSFL and enjoy the show.
• Boosts Egg Production: The high protein content in BSFL directly contributes to increased egg production. Studies have shown that supplementing chicken feed with BSFL can significantly improve both the number and quality of eggs, even during winter's conditions.

How to Feed BSFL to Your Chickens

While hand-feeding or scattering BSFL on the ground works well in most cases, providing stimulation for the hens and people alike, this may not be viable if there is a lot of fresh snow on the ground. After our recent snowstorm, the snow in the outdoor portion of our coop has had several days to melt and refreeze, providing a stable layer on top that prevents the larvae from getting lost in the snow and provides a solid surface for the birds to walk over.

Directly after the snowstorm, it can be more effective to simply add the BSFL into a tub, or mix BSFL in with your regular feed tub to prevent losses in the snowpack as your birds struggle to maneuver and find the larvae.

Additional Tips:

• Sealed containers of BSFL from Egg Brigade have a shelf life of 18 to 24 months making it an excellent livestock food source to keep on hand during storm seasons for emergency use.
• Introduce BSFL Gradually: Start by mixing a small amount with their regular feed and gradually increase the quantity.
• Observe Your Flock: Monitor their overall health, egg production, and feather quality to adjust the BSFL supplementation as needed.
• Source Responsibly: All Egg Brigade BSFL are American-grown. That means you can trust your Soldier Flies are grown with the highest quality standards to maximize nutrient content.

At Egg Brigade, we’re passionate about offering high-quality, shelf-stable, nutritious black soldier fly larvae to help chicken keepers like you support your flocks year-round. Our larvae are carefully processed to preserve their nutrient density, delivering a reliable protein source to keep your hens laying, even through the coldest months.

By incorporating black soldier fly larvae into your flock’s winter diet, you'll not only keep them healthy and happy, even when the weather outside is frightful.