Mealworm farming

Mold is lethal to chickens. Toss your meal worm bedding that got moldy, but you can rinse your worms under tepid tap water then pat dry. They won't mind a brief shower. I've laundered both adult beetles and worms with no ill effect when I had to get rid of a heavy grain mite infestation.

I use wheat bran, rolled oats, and mill run feed which is as cheap as bran and is a bi-product of milling wheat for cous-cous and is available at feed stores. I use only raw carrots for a moisture source. Other veggies and fruit are just too prone to go moldy.

I have a beetle tray with a screened bottom that lets eggs sift through the oats into a tray beneath. I use bran for growing out lavae that I want to use as reproductive stock. I alternate with grow out trays with the mill run in them as these larvae grow half again as large as larvae on bran. As larvae pupate and morph into adult beetles, I pick them out and place them in the beetle tray. Occasionally, I clean all the dead beetles out when they start to smell acrid. The chickens enjoy these dead beetles as much as the worms.

Another annoying risk to having the feed on the damp side is grain mites. You can avoid these pests, which often escape the trays and go on walkabout in your house, by freezing the feed at zero F or below for a few weeks before using. Then leave the trays open without lids so excess moisture can escape since freezing rarely destroys all grain mite eggs.

You'll learn a lot about meal worms by reading this thread from the beginning. Lots of terrific ideas and knowledge here. Make it bedtime reading or bathroom reading.
 
Mold is lethal to chickens. Toss your meal worm bedding that got moldy, but you can rinse your worms under tepid tap water then pat dry. They won't mind a brief shower. I've laundered both adult beetles and worms with no ill effect when I had to get rid of a heavy grain mite infestation.

I use wheat bran, rolled oats, and mill run feed which is as cheap as bran and is a bi-product of milling wheat for cous-cous and is available at feed stores. I use only raw carrots for a moisture source. Other veggies and fruit are just too prone to go moldy.

I have a beetle tray with a screened bottom that lets eggs sift through the oats into a tray beneath. I use bran for growing out lavae that I want to use as reproductive stock. I alternate with grow out trays with the mill run in them as these larvae grow half again as large as larvae on bran. As larvae pupate and morph into adult beetles, I pick them out and place them in the beetle tray. Occasionally, I clean all the dead beetles out when they start to smell acrid. The chickens enjoy these dead beetles as much as the worms.

Another annoying risk to having the feed on the damp side is grain mites. You can avoid these pests, which often escape the trays and go on walkabout in your house, by freezing the feed at zero F or below for a few weeks before using. Then leave the trays open without lids so excess moisture can escape since freezing rarely destroys all grain mite eggs.

You'll learn a lot about meal worms by reading this thread from the beginning. Lots of terrific ideas and knowledge here. Make it bedtime reading or bathroom reading.
Mold is lethal to chickens. Toss your meal worm bedding that got moldy, but you can rinse your worms under tepid tap water then pat dry. They won't mind a brief shower. I've laundered both adult beetles and worms with no ill effect when I had to get rid of a heavy grain mite infestation.

I use wheat bran, rolled oats, and mill run feed which is as cheap as bran and is a bi-product of milling wheat for cous-cous and is available at feed stores. I use only raw carrots for a moisture source. Other veggies and fruit are just too prone to go moldy.

I have a beetle tray with a screened bottom that lets eggs sift through the oats into a tray beneath. I use bran for growing out lavae that I want to use as reproductive stock. I alternate with grow out trays with the mill run in them as these larvae grow half again as large as larvae on bran. As larvae pupate and morph into adult beetles, I pick them out and place them in the beetle tray. Occasionally, I clean all the dead beetles out when they start to smell acrid. The chickens enjoy these dead beetles as much as the worms.

Another annoying risk to having the feed on the damp side is grain mites. You can avoid these pests, which often escape the trays and go on walkabout in your house, by freezing the feed at zero F or below for a few weeks before using. Then leave the trays open without lids so excess moisture can escape since freezing rarely destroys all grain mite eggs.

You'll learn a lot about meal worms by reading this thread from the beginning. Lots of terrific ideas and knowledge here. Make it bedtime reading or bathroom reading.
Thank you so much for your reply!! I will continue to read, I've only made it to page 850! 😅
 
Is there a tread discussing raising mealworms? I've looked around but can't seem to find anything recent.

I started a mealworm farm a month ago and have so many pupae that I'm getting worried! BUT, I want to be able to freeze many, many thousands for next winter since my girls don't like snow and there's no bugs to eat in the winter anyway. Don't know when enough will be enough and in the meantime, my mealies are growing fast and furious!



UPDATES
**** BYCer's mealworm farms ..... condensed information from 3 perspectives!! *****

Gallo Del Cielo's page: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-raise-mealworms

My page: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/mealworm-fam-experiences

Amy's page: http://www.westknollfarm.com


Some basic and often asked information:

Life cycle stages... this is relative to conditions such as temperature, food source, etc:
Egg Incubation: 4-19 days (usually 4-7). Another source says 20-40 days
Larva: 10 weeks. Visible after about a week
Pupa: 6-18 (18-24?) days
Beetle and Egg Laying: 8-12 weeks (followed by death). Egg laying starts 4-19 days (average 12) after emergence

Reliable sources for buying meal worms (in no particular order):
BYC members:
crazy huhn: [email protected]
Amy: www.westknollfarm.com email is [email protected]
exoticnutrition.com
speedyworm.com
southernbaitworms.com



7/23/11 - ETA: My colonies are in full force and many have joined the 'farm'!
smile.png
So much wonderful information and insight!


Trish
yippiechickie.gif
We also sell Mealworms
 
Odor. That and the worms will be clumping in the corners trying to escape to find something more to eat.

If you look closely, and smell, the bedding has changed to a very fine textured worm poop.

If you have adult beetles in your colony, they will smell very unpleasantly acrid as dead beetles accumulate. You may want to periodically pick out those.
 
Is there a tread discussing raising mealworms? I've looked around but can't seem to find anything recent.

I started a mealworm farm a month ago and have so many pupae that I'm getting worried! BUT, I want to be able to freeze many, many thousands for next winter since my girls don't like snow and there's no bugs to eat in the winter anyway. Don't know when enough will be enough and in the meantime, my mealies are growing fast and furious!



UPDATES
**** BYCer's mealworm farms ..... condensed information from 3 perspectives!! *****

Gallo Del Cielo's page: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-raise-mealworms

My page: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/mealworm-fam-experiences

Amy's page: http://www.westknollfarm.com


Some basic and often asked information:

Life cycle stages... this is relative to conditions such as temperature, food source, etc:
Egg Incubation: 4-19 days (usually 4-7). Another source says 20-40 days
Larva: 10 weeks. Visible after about a week
Pupa: 6-18 (18-24?) days
Beetle and Egg Laying: 8-12 weeks (followed by death). Egg laying starts 4-19 days (average 12) after emergence

Reliable sources for buying meal worms (in no particular order):
BYC members:
crazy huhn: [email protected]
Amy: www.westknollfarm.com email is [email protected]
exoticnutrition.com
speedyworm.com
southernbaitworms.com



7/23/11 - ETA: My colonies are in full force and many have joined the 'farm'!
smile.png
So much wonderful information and insight!


Trish
yippiechickie.gif
Why are my pupae drying up and not turning into beatles?
 

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