Meal worms: Super Expensive Form of Protein?

[Tatuana]

Ditto what Mroo said. I personally have one of these for my little farm. I also have finely ground oats in there so I can sift them and replace the moldy oats now and then. (Normal oats are horrible to replace. Babies are smaller than a pin, so you'll always throw some out with the oats if they're not ground fine) It also helps when cleaning out dead bodies. I grow mine for my leopard gecko, but I'm sure you could scale to size. I personally start with the bottom drawer, putting in about an inch and a half of bedding. Toss in a bunch of worms, date the drawer, and let them be. I use carrots for food since apples STINK even after a day or so. They're also too moist and ruin my bedding quicker.

Then once I start getting beetles I stick them in the middle, with a label on that. (Bedding included) By the time I get beetles the bottom is pretty empty. Once the beetles lay worms, I stick those in the top with a rough date of when the first worms went in.

The reason I do it that way is so that I know that after a month or so the bottom should be empty, and ready to use for beetles. I also know approx. how long it will be before I get more worms. It keeps me from over harvesting them, keeps them in a nice storage area, and is satisfying for my OCD.

Well, that's how it DID work before my kid moved out. Now I can't grow them to save my life. So I buy them from Mealworms.com. I can get two thousand for $16. It's MUCH cheaper than the pet store.

 

[chickens really]

If your feeding a quality feed they don't require more protein..Sometimes more protein can cause issues too. I have never fed or bought mealworms.

 

[rosemarythyme]

For me it's convenience, since I only use them as treats, and the fact that they rattle around in a container (well, technically I use BSL now, but same idea). Don't think a can of tuna rattles in quite the same way... *insert moist can sounds*

 

[Criticalicious]

If you're buying dried mealworms at the store, READ THE BAG. A lot of them come from China. If you're growing your own, that's great. I get Grubblies because they're convenient and grown in the U.S. and they keep longer. I've been debating whether to grow fresh mealworms but I'm not there yet.

 

[Eggscaping]

In addition, they're also great fishing bait if you fish for panfish like crappie, bluegill, or even bass!

 

[Biddybot]

Mealworms are way overpriced if you're looking to boost the whole flock's protein intake, such as when they're molting...convenient and worth it, I suppose, if used as training rewards or just plain treats, although I've personally never fed them. I'd rather just hard-boil extra eggs, mash them, and offer those. If you've got a Bulk Barn or something similar in your area that sells pet foods in bulk, you can also try feeding dry cat food--the ones formulated for kittens usually contain the highest amount of protein and are pretty cheap compared to mealworms. Put some chow in a shallow but sturdy bowl or tray, cover with hot water, and stir up the resultant mash a bit once all the water's been absorbed and it's cooled down enough to feed. This usually goes over really well IF you can find a brand and flavour that the chickens like...which is why I'm suggesting that you buy and try only small amounts at first, in case your cat chow offering gets turned down flat. (Fussy %$//@ chickens! Oh well, the crows'll eat it if they won't...)

 

[Criticalicious]

Another fun treat for extra protein is no-salt-added sardines. Scrambled eggs with the shells are also popular

 

[Judith M]

So, I read a lot about people feeding meal worms to their flock for high-protein treats.

A quick look at tractor supply shows the price ranging from over $1/ounce (for a 10 ounce bag) to about $6.50/lb for a 5 lb bag.

So, what am I missing? For far less than $6.50/lb, I can buy many different kinds of meat at the grocery store....ground beef, chicken, fish, even many cuts of beef. Heck, sometimes ground turkey or chicken goes on sale for 99 cents a pound around here!

What is it about meal worms that make them better? Is it the fact that they're dried, so without the moisture content you're getting more raw protein per pound? Is it the snack-ready size?
If it's not that, what am I missing? If they're worth $6.50+ a lb, should *I* be eating them?!

We raise our own mealworms. It is really easy to do and there are even starter kits on ebay and different sites. We have about 100 chickens and they love getting the "fresh meat".. LOL! We started out with 500 live mealworms ordered from ebay and now we never have to purchase any. Check it out.. lots of fun too!

 

[Folly's place]

My birds have to find their own worms! I'm not setting up a mealworm farm, and not buying the dried or live ones either. Feeding a good ration is less expensive and much easier, IMO. Treats are extra, and free ranging when the ground isn't frozen works just fine whenever possible. Scratch mixes are cheap and do fine as treats too.
Mary

 

[DrumstickRanchTex]

So, I read a lot about people feeding meal worms to their flock for high-protein treats.

A quick look at tractor supply shows the price ranging from over $1/ounce (for a 10 ounce bag) to about $6.50/lb for a 5 lb bag.

So, what am I missing? For far less than $6.50/lb, I can buy many different kinds of meat at the grocery store....ground beef, chicken, fish, even many cuts of beef. Heck, sometimes ground turkey or chicken goes on sale for 99 cents a pound around here!

What is it about meal worms that make them better? Is it the fact that they're dried, so without the moisture content you're getting more raw protein per pound? Is it the snack-ready size?
If it's not that, what am I missing? If they're worth $6.50+ a lb, should *I* be eating them?!

Maybe you could raise your own mealworms. There are sites on line that show how to raise them inexpensively. I find that Tractor Supply is quite pricey. They are about profit.