Mealworm farming

[acreed]

Got my wormies from bnewns yesterday and they are great! Thanks for a great transaction!

 

[Farm4Suncee]

I'm very new to chickens and mealworms

My 5 chicks will be arriving in Sept. and I would love to start mealworms for them, would now be to soon? Can I keep the worms in the fridge till the chicks arrive, or would freezing them be better? Does "growing" your own mealworms help to cut down on the cost of other feed? I, obviously, am only going to have 5 chickens, so how many mealworms should I start with? I'm going to go with the three drawer system

 

[gaitngirl]

"Its been a very fun week . The 21 chicks.. came from McMurray's and I got Black Soldier Fly Larvae and Meal worms on Wednesday.
Learning how to make a home for all this at once.. has been more entertaining than trouble. .. I was surprised how fun it was to do the meal worms..
- i don't have the "gross out" gene.. <grin> so I've been checking on them and there was a big molt after the feed and water i gave them
-I've been juicing.. so i had some carrot fiber from that .. and as I took them out of the bag.. I would drop them in that.. in an aluminum pan.. and let them eat up..
and then placed the pan on angle into another trey so they could crawl out.. but mostly I would add worms.. to a cup of pulp and in short order they would eat most of it.. and I then put them into bran that had been "frozen" for 24 -48hrs in a turkey roaster <? a mite preventative - some one recommended>
.. so I think they got to eat and drink allot more from that than the other batch that i just put carrots sliced in.. this morning .. i checked and i need to add more bran and there is a considerable amount of skins.. on top. -"


BB <------ Where did you get the BSFL from? I've tried those a couple times with limited success here in Michigan. Hopefully you are in a warmer zone! As long as you have enough warmth and good daylight hours you should have good luck with them. They are phenomenal composters!!
And I believe someone mentioned microwaving the bran since the mites could survive freezing . . .

 

[gaitngirl]

I found a #50 bag of Wheat Bran at our local co-op for $14.

I'll have to see if there are any co-ops around here . . . I called TSC and they said they don't carry it. FF&H said they have a wheat bran supplement for horses but it's quite pricey for a 40 lb. bag. Whole Foods has it but they are an hour away and it's $1.39/lb in their bulk section.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I'm very new to chickens and mealworms

My 5 chicks will be arriving in Sept. and I would love to start mealworms for them, would now be to soon? Can I keep the worms in the fridge till the chicks arrive, or would freezing them be better? Does "growing" your own mealworms help to cut down on the cost of other feed? I, obviously, am only going to have 5 chickens, so how many mealworms should I start with? I'm going to go with the three drawer system

... you say that NOW...

 

[bnewns]

Quote: I think someone needs to explain "Chicken Math" to Farm4Suncee....

 

[gaitngirl]

I think someone needs to explain "Chicken Math" to Farm4Suncee....

I started with 7 pullets . . . Now people ask me 'You have how many chickens?'!!

 

[bnewns]

Quote: I have a large broken down calculator that I have lables "Bea's Chicken Math" no mater what you do it gives you an answer that is larger then it should be.

 

[gaitngirl]

The doctor I work with had asked late last winter (Feb 2012) if he could get a few chicks, keep them for a couple months so his girls could have the 'chick' experience, and then bring them out to my 'farm', since they can't have chickens where they are at. They started out with 3 in February, then did a second time around last year with 6 more in April. They started researching all the 'fun' egg layers and we picked out 3 breeds (25 chicks) to order from a hatchery this February (which were supposed to be shipped April 8th and have been 'delayed'!). In the meantime, we ordered FBC Marans from a local guy and I was given a mixed lot of 2 week old chicks a week later from a nice lady on CL who thought she was going to have a coop for them but now won't til next year. Oh yes, and the local FF&H ordered Light Brahmas and I walked out of there with 5, lol. (They are getting a bunch of Polish and some others in next week - I need to stock up on critter feed this week so I don't have to go in there until they are sold out!!!).
I am eventually going to have to say no more chickens

 

[bbsnooks]

Whew! I shipped out 16 boxes of worms yesterday and 6 more today. I am slowly catching up on all the orders. Thank you, everyone. It takes a lot of time to harvest and measure out the mealies when you have millions upon millions to go through.

go amy !! I bet you have been very busy..
can i ask what you use to strain.. from the wheat bran?..
what i tried.. the mesh was not big enough to let the bran thru..

"Its been a very fun week . The 21 chicks.. came from McMurray's and I got Black Soldier Fly Larvae and Meal worms on Wednesday.
Learning how to make a home for all this at once.



BB <------ Where did you get the BSFL from? I've tried those a couple times with limited success here in Michigan. Hopefully you are in a warmer zone! As long as you have enough warmth and good daylight hours you should have good luck with them. They are phenomenal composters!!
And I believe someone mentioned microwaving the bran since the mites could survive freezing . . .

I dont have a microwave.. so.. i hope.. the freezer works.. wish me luck..
are all bag's infected with mites?

I got the BSFL from Phoenix worms.. and some of them.. grow fast.. I thru them in the wast basket I use for compost.. and then peeked yesterday.. and that one grew.. quite a bit..
I dont know if it's going to work.. I'm in Zone 6.. and its one zone away from what i read - from natural growing zone.
I think I have seen them around.. ( not much ) but hopefully.. if they are around.. by growing my own.. i can scent mark the yard and attract some.
..
and if I'm really lucky I can get them to reproduce.. it is just an experiment.. time will tell..
Gaitngirl... did you raise some bsfl?