Growing my own Earthworms

[SteveBaz]

Well not to get completely off track I decided to harvest our own worms for the chickens, my garden, my wifes flower beds and around the house including the grass. Then if it turns out good maybe even the local tackle shops and such and try to sell the Red Wigglers or other kinds.

Have anyone tried to do this?
Was it profitable?
It doesn’t sound like it requires only a bit of work and for under $50. your off to growing worms!!

Steve

 

[kizanne]

I did worms many years ago as a composting thing. I didn't enjoy it much and they are slow growers. I am currently doing black fly larva for the chickens and I've started my own mealworm farm which is going well but not ready for 1st harvest yet. Probably another month, my beetles did lay worms and I have many small/medium worms just waiting for them to get to large.

 

[SteveBaz]

Quote:
I also considered mealworms and still might. My Gramps did it years ago and I remembering hime saying got pretty easy after you figured it out? Is there a cycle for harvest like every other week or month?

 

[TheJuan-n-Only]

I was just starting to look @ this for myself...and told my DW about and she gave me the funniest "are you crazy" look...have you found out more info?

 

[kevinhannan]

...add me to the mealworm interest - I tried a while ago and failed.

 

[SteveBaz]

I jumped into it big time. I bought 2 5 tray units that will produce approximately 10 lbs. (1000 worms a pound ) of worms per month from each unit. I have decided to go with Red Wigglers in one unit and African Night crawlers in the other. I have found a Grocery Store here that will selling me / giving me a lot of the fruits and veggies they dispose of 2 times a week for me and a Subway that I go to Weds and Saturday too and pick up veggie scrapes. Plus the home scrapes from our meals, and the scrapes from the preparation of our food. I do not use the veggies as the only food supply for the worms. I filled my truck bed filled to the rails with composted yard debris using that as the main source for the food. There is a good book out called “Worms Eat My Garbage” you need to read that will get you on track.

I have found a source that will buy all my worms I can not sell on Craig’s List or EBay and as the worms move up and vacate a tray I take it and harvest the Casting’s and the Worm Poo in a Harvester and that can be used or sold also. The Garden industry like the nurseries will buy it and the tree farms will buy it.

I am for sure hooked

Steve

 

[kizanne]

Quote:
I also considered mealworms and still might. My Gramps did it years ago and I remembering hime saying got pretty easy after you figured it out? Is there a cycle for harvest like every other week or month?

There is a whole mealworm thread here at backyard chickens

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=492636

It has a ton of info and is how I got hooked. So far I find it very easy. I wasn't trying to hi-jack the thread I was reponding to the OP about if I had tried earthworms and what I found when I did.

Did try it, was very slow growing, smelled sometimes. Quit it. Trying mealworms, love it so far will let you know more later but check out the mealworm thread if you are interested because they are fun and easy.