Mealworm farming

[galanie]

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The same way we all did.. the power of BYC! I mean we're susceptible to chick and chicken math enablers already - not much of a stretch to go for mealworms too!

 

[Cakela]

At least ten pupae now, not that I'm counting. Ha!


Good to know everyone else's farms are doing well also! Worms for everyone

 

[galanie]

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It always makes me chuckle how in this thread we can scream " I'VE GOT WORMS " ... and it's a good thing!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

We scream, "I've got bugs!" and get excited too.
I never wanted bugs in my house but now I have lots and lots.

It's a lot of fun and not much work.

Nifty, welcome to our madness. It doesn't take much time. Actually very little, so no worries there. You will wonder why you never did this before. You will use more time watching your birds eat the mealies than actually doing any meal worm farming. They are just riots when gobbling up those tasty mealies.

One day I am going to try and get a good photo of the chicks playing tug of war with a meal worm. It makes me roll with laughter every time!
And then maybe it will be featured on the Workday Chicken site. Which, btw, will feature one of my photos on Monday.
http://www.workdaychickenpictures.com/workdaychickenpictures/Home.html

 

[peafowlmom]

My husband is totally against it! He said I can't keep them in the house he is worried that they will get out and reproduce everywhere. Does anyone know what I could say to convince him?


Summerville, SC 16 GL cochin bantams, 5 Amer., 7 peacocks, 2 dogs

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Okay, easy enough.
They can't fly. But if you read the thread along far enough from the beginning we had a huge "discussion" about that.

They can't crawl over the edges of the plastic tub and I do not believe they can even get out of a cardboard box because some folks use shoe boxes. Just make sure there is at least an inch or two of siding.

Once out of the colony box, they can't reproduce unless you have wheat bran as your carpet. Without food, they die. They have to have a constant supply of wheat bran or oats to survive, though I believe someone on here has raised them on dirt. I have no idea what the creatures eat in that environment but I am sure your floor is not dirt either.

Others can probably articulate this all much better and add points to it but this is my input.

Oh yeah, it is so sweet that you listen to your husband. Mine would love it if I ever did anything he told me to. After 31 years of being married he is happy when I just ask his opinion on something.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

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You can tell him that in 25 years of raising them, I've never had an escapee. I'm guessing that no one on this thread has either. They don't fly and they can't climb the slick walls of the container.

 

[Animalian]

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I have three beetles today! Also about 40 pupae!

 

[galanie]

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Soon you'll have Worms!

 

[kizanne]

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I find 'or else' is a great catch phrase for any situation like this. You know throw whatever you want in the front ...