Yellow Underwing caterpillars

Raking the grass this weekend, we can across these crawly critters - yellow underwing caterpillars or otherwise known as the "cutworm". At first I would simply step on them as I'd dislodge them, kinda like putting out a cigarette butt but this was messy and I soon realized there were simply too many of them. Instead, I began collecting them and feeding them to the chickens who devoured them as quickly as I offered them up.

These pests develop between September and April above ground feeding on the stems and leaves of grasses and other plants, sometimes grazing them off at ground level. When disturbed it adopts a 'c'-shape, as you can see in the picture above, and can get up to 2" long.