My sister raises Dubia roaches both for her own pet reptiles and to sell. She gave me a mini-colony -- meant more as a keep-them-alive-for-a-month-or-so facility while I fed them to my chickens.
Much to our surprise, they're actually breeding.
In a makeshift container on a diet of all-flock feed, watermelon rinds, and the occasional bit of leafy green stuff, bruised fruit, or slug-chewed tomato.
The chickens adore them and their nutritional content is excellent. I feed them live, except that I froze a few for young chicks (or fed them shed shells).
I have my micro-colony on top of the coop right now, but will have to move them into a heated space when it gets cold because they're not cold-tolerant at all.
Much to our surprise, they're actually breeding.
In a makeshift container on a diet of all-flock feed, watermelon rinds, and the occasional bit of leafy green stuff, bruised fruit, or slug-chewed tomato.
The chickens adore them and their nutritional content is excellent. I feed them live, except that I froze a few for young chicks (or fed them shed shells).
I have my micro-colony on top of the coop right now, but will have to move them into a heated space when it gets cold because they're not cold-tolerant at all.