Mealworm farming

[tfalls3]

Yes, depends on temperature,

Constantly above 89 to 100

 

[Latestarter]

More heat, less time. Too much heat, fried bugs. 100 is pushing the limit.

 

[tfalls3]

Ok I will move them, my laundry room where I keep them doesn't get much ac.

 

[DIGGIN CHICKEN]

actually ..been doing this mealworm thing for a while now ... figured out ...you don't have to spend that much time on them .... lately i leave them for 2 week stretches ... when i get back to them the 2 carrots i put in - have disappeared ..completely eaten!!! .... and they thriving ... got like a zillion beetles ... just topped up the bran and added two large whole carrots ... see them in two weeks again ...

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Constantly above 89 to 100

Another thing many don't consider is that they put off heat of their own.

My house rarely hits 65 so I was afraid I would never get pupation. But 1 time I was sifting my fingers through the bran I couldn't believe how warm it was in the middle!

Needless to say, they pupated more rapidly than anticipated. Now I've got beetles a plenty.... Give me worms!!

 

[SuperK]

Looking for advice:
Just started our mealy farm with a dual three drawer system. The second farm was supposed to for the overflow of anticipated worms. Not used yet.
Our initial loading for this farm included 1000 (didn't count) Meal worm larvae went into drawer 3 to grow, and the 100 adult beetles in drawer 1 to start the egg process right away. Mesh in drawer 1 so eggs will fall through to drawer 2; the 'Nursery'

What we ended up with was the adults did their thing, ate like pigs, then died. As the worms pupated then morphed to adults, we added them to the top drawer for breeding. This is where our 'system' goes off the rails- it's been two months and no sign of worms in drawer 2- the egg drawer. Then the other day we stirred up the cornmeal/oatmeal fodder and found a few, I mean not many tiny 1/4" worms.

My question for you that have been doing this so long is, "Is this normal?" I know the life cycle and time it is supposed to take from one stage to another but ours certainly took their sweet time. since setting them up its been a good three months.

Average year round temps here are 84-85, humidity is 85-100% and the farm is outside but in a dark cupboard near our chicken coop. Do they need more light? Less light? We use potatoes and carrots for water sources.
Thanks

 

[Latestarter]

OK... Are you putting some carrots or whatever you're using for a moisture source in all 3 drawers? The pupae don't use it, but still need some moisture via humidity to keep them from drying out. I see you're using oats in the worm drawer and what looks like corn meal mixed with something in the 2nd drawer down? And what's in the bottom drawer?

I've used oats, and several other substances and if you can get it, wheat bran has always worked out best for me. I can buy a 50 pound bag for like $15-17 and I had five large containers and that bag of bran lasted me over a year. With oats, some (most?) of the eggs probably aren't "sifting" down into the 2nd drawer, but are staying up in that top drawer. Another thing to be aware of is that when the eggs hatch, (and those eggs are too small to see with the naked eye unless your eye is bionic), they (baby worms) are SMALL, Small, small! It will take several weeks before they are big enough to see. They are also FAST and can move from visible to dug in and gone in seconds! The easiest way to know they are there is to stare at the substrate and jiggle the container then watch. The substrate will be "moving/heaving" as those hundreds or thousands of babies start moving to hide due to the commotion you caused when you jiggled the container.

I do not use the multiple drawer method as I'm averse to work. You have my permission to read that as lazy. I don't see the need to create any more work for myself than I'm presently under the need of doing. More power to those who have the time and are willing to do the tedious manipulations required to maintain multi drawer systems. I have all stages in each bin. When I want to feed out, I sift through and collect a container full from the bin with the most in it, then head out and make my chickens very happy. They eat bugs, pupae, worms, and the wheat bran as well. I like easy and simple. I use them as a TREAT, NOT a routine source of food/protein/etc. They don't get them daily or even weekly. They get them when I feel like giving them.

Hope you get it all sorted out and working for max production. Nice build out for the storage of the containers!

 

[SuperK]

OK... Are you putting some carrots or whatever you're using for a moisture source in all 3 drawers? The pupae don't use it, but still need some moisture via humidity to keep them from drying out. I see you're using oats in the worm drawer and what looks like corn meal mixed with something in the 2nd drawer down? And what's in the bottom drawer?

I've used oats, and several other substances and if you can get it, wheat bran has always worked out best for me. I can buy a 50 pound bag for like $15-17 and I had five large containers and that bag of bran lasted me over a year. With oats, some (most?) of the eggs probably aren't "sifting" down into the 2nd drawer, but are staying up in that top drawer. Another thing to be aware of is that when the eggs hatch, (and those eggs are too small to see with the naked eye unless your eye is bionic), they (baby worms) are SMALL, Small, small! It will take several weeks before they are big enough to see. They are also FAST and can move from visible to dug in and gone in seconds! The easiest way to know they are there is to stare at the substrate and jiggle the container then watch. The substrate will be "moving/heaving" as those hundreds or thousands of babies start moving to hide due to the commotion you caused when you jiggled the container.

I do not use the multiple drawer method as I'm averse to work. You have my permission to read that as lazy. I don't see the need to create any more work for myself than I'm presently under the need of doing. More power to those who have the time and are willing to do the tedious manipulations required to maintain multi drawer systems. I have all stages in each bin. When I want to feed out, I sift through and collect a container full from the bin with the most in it, then head out and make my chickens very happy. They eat bugs, pupae, worms, and the wheat bran as well. I like easy and simple. I use them as a TREAT, NOT a routine source of food/protein/etc. They don't get them daily or even weekly. They get them when I feel like giving them.

Hope you get it all sorted out and working for max production. Nice build out for the storage of the containers!

Yes, Late, we are adding water source to all levels. It's good to hear that we weren't crazy- but it did seem like a long time. We will be moving and shaking the drawers to get the eggs to fall, change the feed to bran (lots of it here on the island) and wait patiently.
Thanks for the compliment on the build, its hanging off the back of the coop, next to the nest boxes so we can deal with them at the same time we deal with the chicks. First pic is the unmodified nest boxes, 10 in two rows of 5. That proved too many for our 6 original hens so we built the Worm farm into the space just left of the wood door and changed the remaining upper nest boxes into feed storage. I consider myself motivationally challenge as well so when I have to do something I want to make sure its not going to take long doing it. When we built the coop we wanted all of the chicken 'stuff' in the same place so we wouldn't have to go wandering from place to place getting it done. We also wanted the worm farm to match the coop.
Second pic is the back of the coop where we put the nest boxes and Worm Farm. Most of that opening is now blocked off with plywood for storage and worms, but can be changed easily when our newer 11 chicks start laying. I thought I had wider angle shots of the Farm, but I guess I don't.
Thanks for the insight on the worms- I will persevere!

 

[Latestarter]

Beautiful build and location... looks positively tropical!

Many folks go way overboard on the number of nesting boxes. I guess we just think that every hen needs her own. In retrospect, I'm glad that's not the case... I don't have as many now but had over 30 at one point. Turns out you only need like one box for every 4-6 hens. Who knew, right? They all like to wait for the first hen to lay then fight to get in and use the same box. Or some of mine just prefer to lay in the litter on the floor.

Good luck and prosper!

 

[tfalls3]

Beautiful build and location... looks positively tropical! Many folks go way overboard on the number of nesting boxes. I guess we just think that every hen needs her own. In retrospect, I'm glad that's not the case... I don't have as many now but had over 30 at one point. Turns out you only need like one box for every 4-6 hens. Who knew, right? They all like to wait for the first hen to lay then fight to get in and use the same box. Or some of mine just prefer to lay in the litter on the floor. Good luck and prosper!

Actually use the nesting box? What is this concept you speak of? Mine would rather hold it in than use the boxes, they prefer to have me play egg hunt every single day