California - Northern

[ronott1]

If the mites are that bad I would not screw around and use frontline as well as dusting for adults and maybe a bath in vinegar water to help get rid of the casings. I hate mites!

I agree!

Some are using Fronline every 30 days until the mite weather is over.

 

[chrissyr]

She is beautiful!

Thank you! I wish i could take as pretty pics as you do!! Your pics are flawless

 

[casportpony]

 

She is beautiful!

Thank you! I wish i could take as pretty pics as you do!! Your pics are flawless

You both take great pictures!

Kathy

 

[OR4-hmom]

Keeper, your post on them running around with the treats made my giggle, since the whole time mine are looking for a quiet place to enjoy the goodie they are announcing their find to everyone else!

 

[chiqita]

I do. I have 8 large flat tupperware boxes (1' W x 2' L x 6" H). I've drilled holes in the lids to allow for ventilation. I filled them with wheat bran from the local discount grocery store (they sell bulk & will order a 20# bag for me). I'll mix in oat bran or whatever stale cereal or bread I have as well (this is the "food"). Then I layer potatoes or apples on top of the bran (for their "water"). I started my colony with 10,000 worm that I got from ordering online (can't remember which site but do a good search as priced seemed to vary widely). I just poured them in & let 'em go. They'll molt into larvae which become cute little brown beetles that lay their eggs that hatch into more meal worms. Ta da! You add more wheat bran & potatoes as they consume it.
About once or twice a year, the worm castings (aka "poo") will accumulate enough that I sift out out the worms & beetles, remove the castings (which is a very fine brownish dust & a fabulous plant fertilizer), add fresh "food" & "water" & put back the worms & the beetles. They'll be more of delay for new worms after this because you've sifted out the eggs - they are so small that you can't really even see them. You have to give the beetles time to lay more.
Be careful to watch for mold. Don't add anything with mold & remove anything that develops mold as this can kill your whole colony.

It's nice to grow my own as I can have a variety of sizes on hand - the big worms are too much for a little chick to handle usually.
It's so fun to watch fluffy butts discover these yummy treats for the first time, running around in circles trying to keep the worm to themselves.

I just sifted today! I didn't know I was sifting out the babies I'll let the dust hatch in its own container.

 

[OR4-hmom]

Doing taxes is bad enough, having to re-do 4 months really stinks. DD kitten is now heavy enough to trip the circuit protector and un-do my work!

 

[Audio51]

Quote: Did you have to pick it up from them? I have a "Business" called Paradise Aviary and they were drop shipping 50# bags of seed at my house for free when I ordered 6 at a time. It was also about $10 less per bag than I could get it locally. Then they decided there would be no free shipping unless you rodered a full pallet, which was a ton. I had no place to store that much so I had to go back to buying it locally. No one carries their brand around here either.

 

[Sirracha]

I agree!

Some are using Fronline every 30 days until the mite weather is over.

i didn't know there were seasons for mites. I also didn't know how hard it is to sneak up on chickens to take a butt shot. I feel like a dirty old man.

 

[Ali707]

i didn't know there were seasons for mites. I also didn't know how hard it is to sneak up on chickens to take a butt shot. I feel like a dirty old man.

 

[Ali707]

I just sifted today! I didn't know I was sifting out the babies I'll let the dust hatch in its own container.

I desperately have to do this and I knew that I would be losing a pile of the eggs, but this is a good idea, IF I get the worms out before they start the whole cycle over again.