Mealworm farming

[MossyoakLane]

I paid $10 for 1000 at Petco or Petsmart (I can't remember which one) I had to get to 500 count containers. at $5 a piece.

 

[buttercup95]

I just bought a mere 50 of them to see if I can keep them alive and that was 3$ I was not pleased but I just want to make sure they live. Practice run lol

 

[1cheepchick]

I am wondering if I can manage to farm the meal worms I find in the compost I have on my farm. So do I just get some containers and then what? When they are in the worm stage do I dry them like the ones I buy or just freeze them and use them like that? Are they good for the chickens in the frozen state?

 

[buttercup95]

Can I use regular oat meal? or do I need to crush it up finer?

 

[Herp Lover]

Mine did fine in regular oatmeal without it being crushed.

 

[buttercup95]

Mine did fine in regular oatmeal without it being crushed.

Oh okay awesome that makes it super easy! I decided to go ahead and order a thousand. I guess giant meal worms don't reproduce or something like that and they only had 35 count regular meal worms for 5$

 

[LaBella]

Yes, stay away from the giant mealworms. They have been treated with insect growth regulating hormones to get them to grow very large, and when you're able to get them to pupate into adults, the adults are sterile.

Super worms are a different kind of worm, and they have different needs to get them to go to adult stage. Not only that. but they take much much longer to get to adult stage.

 

[buttercup95]

Yes, stay away from the giant mealworms. They have been treated with insect growth regulating hormones to get them to grow very large, and when you're able to get them to pupate into adults, the adults are sterile.

Super worms are a different kind of worm, and they have different needs to get them to go to adult stage. Not only that. but they take much much longer to get to adult stage.

Yeah I gave in and ordered 1,000 online lol hope it goes well

 

[LaBella]

I am sure they will do just fine. They really are pretty hardy things, and 1000 is a good number to start with if you're willing to let them grow, and in a few generations you;ll have enough to feed and freeze for your flock.

 

[buttercup95]

I'm going to try that drawer system that's at the beginning of the thread. I really like how it saved on space