Mealworm farming

[chris814]

I just ordered some live mealworms to raise and reproduce to feed my chickens. But I am kinda worried that I will be also starting a bait station for rats and mice. Does anyone know if these attract rodents?

 

[chicken danz]

No they don't attract rodents. I've raised them for years and keep them in an old aquarium. You don't have to separate them by size or worry about the adults beetles flyiing out either. I simply use a little ground grain from my chicken feed, some oatmeal, and throw a small potato on top of it all. They use the potato for moisture. I've read you can use carrots and other veggies but they tend to mold so the potato is the easiest to use. I lay either a flat plastic lid on top or a few paper towels folded into 4ths. The worms will either collect under the lids or crawl in the folds of the paper towels, making it easy to collect them. You do need to keep them indoors to keep them alive though. Cold weather will kill them. If you feel uncomfortable about a mouse or something you can put a screen top on top of the aquarium

 

[chris814]

No they don't attract rodents. I've raised them for years and keep them in an old aquarium. You don't have to separate them by size or worry about the adults beetles flyiing out either. I simply use a little ground grain from my chicken feed, some oatmeal, and throw a small potato on top of it all. They use the potato for moisture. I've read you can use carrots and other veggies but they tend to mold so the potato is the easiest to use. I lay either a flat plastic lid on top or a few paper towels folded into 4ths. The worms will either collect under the lids or crawl in the folds of the paper towels, making it easy to collect them. You do need to keep them indoors to keep them alive though. Cold weather will kill them. If you feel uncomfortable about a mouse or something you can put a screen top on top of the aquarium

Okay thank you