Crickets and mealworms

[meowteri2]

You can get crickets at reptile stores for about a buck a dozen. Get the large because they are the same price as the small ones.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Quote:

There's a limit to what I'm willing to do for my chickens. That's definitely in the neighborhood!

Although, if you chopped one up and then they like it, they may be willing to eat them on their own after that. Maybe you need a "helper" to do your gooey work.

 

[jason_mazzy]

if you have alot of chickens. Armostrong chicken farms is the place to buy crickets. You can get 1000 for about $20. Also you can get meal worms at a good price, and you can grow the meal worms yourself after you take a handful and throw them in a tank.

Meal worms are rediculously easy to grow.
I buy mine from Armstrong crickets in bulk if I don't want to grow em. 1-800-658-3408 they are super friendly and quick. Jeff is the owner. he is a great guy. tell them Jason from J's jungle sent you there so he knows I am still helping him out lol!!!!

But once you have some fill a 10 gallon fish tank ($10 at any petstore or possibly free in the local paper) 1/2 full of instant oatmeal, cornmeal, and cream of wheat.

Put a handful of worms and a large potato cut in 1/2 in the tank.

Place a cover of some type on top of the tank. keep in a decently warm/cool space.

the worms will grow and molt into beetles of 2 different colors. then they will begin to breed like crazy.

in a few weeks you will have more worms than you know what to do with! GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope this helped!

 

[Attack Chicken]

Crickets,mealworms and waxworms! Chickens and quail love them to pieces! literally!

Oh the slugs..My bantams wont touch them and all but my leghorn girl Krispy she slurps them down like nothing! So gross

and there as long at 3-4 inches.

 

[Frannabelle]

If you have a Petsmart nearby they sell crickets and mealworms. I buy my bantam flock 4 dozen once a week, they love 'em!

 

[irishfirefighter]

how do i find a bait shop??
usually any where they sell fishing supplys but or wall mart has crickets back in the sporting section good luck

 

[MrsPinkKitty]

i go by the bait shop and pick up acouple dozen crickets and put them in the brooder when chicks are about 4-5 weeks old and its neet watching the eat em.It amazing how they just know what to do.

 

[F50myster]

thanks you guys

i finally found a pet store near me that sells them! and now im going to try to breed mealworms and crickets lol wish me luck! i have a thread about that

 

[F50myster]

heres a link


https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=5539544#p5539544

 

[Nebe]

Quote:
I watched the YouTube video on that thread and I've decided to raise meal worms for my girls.
The YouTube author only uses oatmeal as bedding and some baby carrots for moisture...
can anyone give me some input about adding different kinds of grains (like cornmeal and cream of wheat that Jason mentioned above)? such as do different grains make for a "better" or bigger or more tasty meal worm? and I also noticed that some people put those water crystal thingies in with the bedding...can't think of the name at the moment...is that a better way of adding moisture than using veggies?
and what makes a "Super" mealie a Super mealie? are they fed a special diet?
Thanks for any input.

*the YouTube author made a "part 2" a year later that follows up on the meal worm bin he sets up in the first video and he answers some questions that viewers have about it. I found it to be worth the watch since I've never done this before*