How To Raise Mealworms

Everything you need to know. I like the no nonsense approach to raising mealworms in this article.

I have been reading all about this because I think it is nonsensical to pay 20 dollars for a bag of something one can grow for free. Thank you!

This is a great article as I heard about this raising our own mealworms and wanted to learn. You explain it so well. A decade though? Wow, amazing!!

A plus, the author was very clear and knowledgeable. This can help with eliminating the expensive bags of muddied mealworms you get at the store. I love to be self sufficient and this article will help me do that. It is always wonderful to see how others are passionate about raising their flocks.

Great article! This is like composting on steroids. LOL give food scraps to the Mealworms, feed them to the chickens, and in turn get eggs, meat and super chicken compost for the garden.
Thanks for taking the time to explain raising Mealworms. I would like to give it a try, but had visions of beetles taking over the house. LOL
Is it possible to keep one container of Mealworms, or does the number of containers grow as the colony develops?
Where can we buy live Mealworms? We're in Canada.
Thanks much.

Great article, thanks.

Excellant article

I'm going to start this. The store bought are way to expensive and I have no idea what they eat and what in turn the hens eat. Thanks for the info!

Any way to save some money and still be able to take good care of our girls is always appreciated!! Very informative- Thankyou

Great article! So simple with one bin. I have switched to one bin after goofing around with several. The worms grow at different rates anyway. I do keep the beetles on top with a screen. I did buy the worm sorting screens which I like. I have to bring my colony in the basement for winter here in Ohio. Two tips: 1) keep a heated seed mat under the bin to promote faster winter production. 2) set the bin inside of a much larger bin that has a layer of diatomaceous earth to keep any grain mites from escaping.

I am definitely wanting to do this but confused about providing vegetables yet, maintains a dry environment

I have a question. Where do you get the live worms to start the colony?

Great article. I'd love to do this..

Great article!
I sometimes forget we are all on this site from different places all over the world with often very different weather.
Yes, too much moisture creates a nasty moldy scenario, not heathy at all.

I had a cricket farm once, while babysitting the High School class's tarantula, Octavia, over summer break. Let me tell ya, crickets chirp constantly! Noisy buggers.
Mealworms are quiet.
I've also had a successful mealworm colony since 1987. I basically use chicken pellet feed & thickly sliced potatoes for the moisture. Live mealworms are such a treat to any insect loving creature, whether avian or reptilian. They're natural protein but we can add nutritional value by what we feed the worms. There's even calcium dust. Reptile folks call it "loading" & often dust the mealworms or crickets prior to feed their pet reptiles. I've added carrots, but the one time I added celery, I got these annoying gnats & fruit flies!

Great article though, glad to see I'm not the only oddball keeping up a mealworm farm...my non-chicken acquaintances don't understand me at all...one of the many reasons I love this site, Learning & Acceptance of all us crazy bird ladies & gents! Lol

Easy to understand clear insrructions.thank you

Love this!

Great explanation!
Starting my first batch today...wish me luck.

I really like the simplicity and one container farming.
I tried last year. I got all fancy with segregating the different stages. It was really intensive to do. When the beetles' eggs did not hatch, I was so frustrated, I fed the whole mess to my hens.
I guess that's what happens when a simple thing is over done!.
I'll try it again with your method.
Thank you!

Very good article! I barely knew anything about raising mealworms prior to reading this. It was a very interesting and educational read.

good article