Mealworm farming

[Kassaundra]

Well the weather in NM allows for outside living better then PA, lol

 

[Zany Chick]

Well the weather in NM allows for outside living better then PA, lol

True!

 

[DMRippy]

Going tomorrow to pick up LOTS of plastic bins with lids to EXPAND my mealworms! I scored them off CL.... been on there for a month... go figure. 17 for $30

 

[Ivywoods]

Going tomorrow to pick up LOTS of plastic bins with lids to EXPAND my mealworms! I scored them off CL.... been on there for a month... go figure. 17 for $30

Nice! Do you have a number in mind of how many worms you want to raise?

 

[DMRippy]

Quote: Hum.... I have, lets just say it is only 150 chickens LOL, how many do I need to feed out the mealworms and not feed out my whole colony? I started with about 500 or 1000 can't remember and now my bin that is 18" x 48" is full of worms and beetles. I am going to move the beetles to a new bin and keep doing that till I have several bins going well..... then maybe I can feed them out.

I am thinking a BAZILLION.... or 2 are needed

 

[Ivywoods]

A bazillion. That would be a good number. I have lots of beetles, but still can't detect any little worms. I am starting to get some dead beetles in there, so I hope they are doing their job before they meet their demise.

Since I don't have any worms yet that I can feed out I've been giving my chickens little pieces of gainesburger dog food. They go nuts over that. It looks like a worm, so once they get the real thing there will be no stopping them. I'm afraid they might squeeze themselves right through the wire to get to the worms!

 

[DMRippy]

A bazillion. That would be a good number. I have lots of beetles, but still can't detect any little worms. I am starting to get some dead beetles in there, so I hope they are doing their job before they meet their demise.

Since I don't have any worms yet that I can feed out I've been giving my chickens little pieces of gainesburger dog food. They go nuts over that. It looks like a worm, so once they get the real thing there will be no stopping them. I'm afraid they might squeeze themselves right through the wire to get to the worms!

Wormies will soon follow

mine come and go in waves since they are all the same age.... in need to put some in the fridge so I can have them at different ages really.

 

[mychookschick]

I guess I'm the only person that kept theirs in the living room

. I did move them to my screened in porch while my daughter in law was staying with us. Then again I have a worm composter by my back door and my chicks are in my spare/granddaughters room. I'm just weird!

I keep my chicks and my wormies in my bedroom. Along with a rabbit. LOL My mom thinks that I am trying to start up a zoo in my room... I think that someday I shoudl make a sign for my door that says "Emporium of animals"!

 

[reereechickens]

I have a question: My plastic container does not have a lid. Can I cover it with fabric and put tie elastic around it to keep the moths or whatever out? Has anybody tried this?

Thanks for the replies. I have my mealies under my kitchen sink and as far as I know there are no rodents, yet. I will get some new plastic bins and put lids with the screen or holes.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Quote:
Now that I understand that your colony would only be at limited risk under the kitchen sink, I think your idea of a fabric cover with elastic to keep it on is excellent (provided the fabric is pretty breathable). I wish my DW would let me keep mine under the kitchen sink in the winter, but no way would she ever allow that! I hide mine in various parts of the house during the winter, moving it every time she finds it. By the time she's completely fed up with it, it's spring and they can go outside. Surprisingly, that's worked out for us now for years.