Mealworm farming

[mychookschick]

Ya, I will feed the beetles to the chickens soon! I JUST FOUND MY FIRST BABY WORMIES! YAYAYAYAY!!

 

[bobbieschicks]

I got my 5000 beetles - and WOW! That's a lot of beetles. I suppose eventually they will be diminished in number - if I keep feeding my chicks the number they ate today. But I doubt it!

When I opened the package I was at first ooged out and excited.

Before I thought it through I dumped the whole bag of stuff into the bin and then I realized it would be better to sort the pupa out if there were any. So I used a big bucket and colander to sift the flour and worms into. I carefully picked out all the pupa from the colander using a plastic spoon - there were about 30 or 40 in there and I put the pupa in drawer #2 with the oat bran. That process took about 1 hour - hopefully it will be easier next time. I figured out which of my three colanders to use next time to reduce the time spent sifting, but still be able to see everyone of them. Then I put the worms (larva) back into the wheat flour and oat mixture in the bucket until I was finished sorting. I dumped the bucket into drawer #2 with carrots and paper on top of them once I finished sorting.

So - everyone is in their proper bin - worms in the middle, pupa in the bottom and nothing in the top...waiting now for beetles!

How often should I check/sift for pupa?

 

[wattsjadajoe]

Quote: Don't worry, you won't need to.......it WILL happen! Just keep the beetles fed and happy!!!

Joe

 

[Mealwormer]

Hello to all out there. I have enjoyed this thread a bunch. Many thanks to many people! In a little over a week I have read over half of the forum! Man, what a thread this is and the people in it are wonderful!

I do have a question though...

I noticed one, only one person mentioned they fed their meal worms bell peppers. I have also looked up and down, in many searches only to be left wondering... So here is my question. Can meal worms eat fresh bell peppers? I have quite a few here, we can't eat them all at the moment, so I thought maybe my meal worms could have some. I intend on breeding them so I want them to live, these are not for gutloading or anything, but I do want my worms to be healthy, and bell peppers are pretty healthy!

 

[Kassaundra]

Hello to all out there. I have enjoyed this thread a bunch. Many thanks to many people! In a little over a week I have read over half of the forum! Man, what a thread this is and the people in it are wonderful!

I do have a question though...

I noticed one, only one person mentioned they fed their meal worms bell peppers. I have also looked up and down, in many searches only to be left wondering... So here is my question. Can meal worms eat fresh bell peppers? I have quite a few here, we can't eat them all at the moment, so I thought maybe my meal worms could have some. I intend on breeding them so I want them to live, these are not for gutloading or anything, but I do want my worms to be healthy, and bell peppers are pretty healthy!

First of all

from Oklahoma and

and the meal worm thread.

Now as far as bell peppers yes, I can think of no reason not to feed them. I have not read that any fruit or veggie that a human can eat that can't be fed to the worms, in addition to that you could try almost any vegetation. They eat some things better then others. I try all kinds of stuff several have been epic failures in that they haven't eaten the (aspargus bottoms the part to woody for me, and green beans being two of the biggest) the only other major consideration will be how fast it molds, attracts pests, or liquified making substrate messy. Other then that try whatever you have that is available.

 

[bobbieschicks]

I decided to sift for pupa again since I had to rush thru it yesterday. Found a good number today, maybe 30 more! My chicks would not leave me alone since I was sitting outside doing the sorting. I fed them a bunch, but it didn't seem to make a dent in the number. Now every time I open the back door they rush for me. It's a little intimidating. I hope I don't fall down with these worms or I'd be trampled!.

 

[Mealwormer]

First of all

from Oklahoma and

and the meal worm thread.

Now as far as bell peppers yes, I can think of no reason not to feed them. I have not read that any fruit or veggie that a human can eat that can't be fed to the worms, in addition to that you could try almost any vegetation. They eat some things better then others. I try all kinds of stuff several have been epic failures in that they haven't eaten the (aspargus bottoms the part to woody for me, and green beans being two of the biggest) the only other major consideration will be how fast it molds, attracts pests, or liquified making substrate messy. Other then that try whatever you have that is available.

Thank you for the warm welcome and quick response! I don't raise chickens at the moment, but this site looks like a great place to learn how to! I will raise some in due time and this is the place I will go for the bulk of my information! At the moment, I raise reptiles and rodents. They all love meal worms, especially the rodents. They go kinda wild for em' just like how I've read all of your chickens do hehe.

I was hesitant putting bell peppers in the meal worm bin, but now I think I will try it! The only reason I was worried was because I read on a few sites that hot stuff can be bad for meal worms. Now bell peppers in my mind are not hot at all, they're pretty much like candy here. I like a lot of heat though. For meal worms I worried it might be too much for them. Thanks to your post I am now worry free, and my meal worms shall breathe hot for the first time in their lives! Thanks again Kassaundra

 

[BeccaSmith]

Thank you for the warm welcome and quick response! I don't raise chickens at the moment, but this site looks like a great place to learn how to! I will raise some in due time and this is the place I will go for the bulk of my information! At the moment, I raise reptiles and rodents. They all love meal worms, especially the rodents. They go kinda wild for em' just like how I've read all of your chickens do hehe.

I was hesitant putting bell peppers in the meal worm bin, but now I think I will try it! The only reason I was worried was because I read on a few sites that hot stuff can be bad for meal worms. Now bell peppers in my mind are not hot at all, they're pretty much like candy here. I like a lot of heat though. For meal worms I worried it might be too much for them. Thanks to your post I am now worry free, and my meal worms shall breathe hot for the first time in their lives! Thanks again Kassaundra

Keep us updated on how they like the bell peppers....I planted several in the garden this year!

 

[Mealwormer]

Keep us updated on how they like the bell peppers....I planted several in the garden this year!

I will do that. Just cracked some open and laid them down in the bin so I will take pics for you soon!

 

[Mealwormer]

Not to flood the thread with more posts, but I have another question.

Does anyone have some tips to help pupa with stuck sheds, get it off? At the moment I have them in a small plastic container with a lid. Before I put them in there I put two or three drops of water in the container, shook it up, and put the pupa in there in hopes that the humidity would help their skin come off easier. Other than that I don't know what to do. The shed is easier to pull off now, but it's quite the chore, and I'm afraid I am injuring them.

Oooh, nother' question! Does anyone have beetles missing limbs, or with smaller limbs than the rest? How do they do? Do you just feed them off or what?