Mealworm farming

[binders]

I'm going around the house today trying to figure out which room is the warmest so that my farm doesn't slow down too much with the colder weather. Unfortunately it looks like the kitchen is a winner. Don't think the family will be pleased if I put them in there. Will have to settle for second warmest.

We tand to keep our house quite cold in the winter so this could really slow things down.
I got my shippment of new worms in on Friday and they are already morphing into pupa!

Still waiting for any wigglies in my first batch.

 

[Kassaundra]

Quote:
wrap your plastic bin in styrofoam, (or some easy insulation) put the bin on simple legs (can be ultra cheap like empty cans) (just for the room under the bin but on top of the styrofoam and put a rope light in there to warm things up.

 

[reereechickens]

Thanks for your advice everyone, I'm really considering it.

 

[so lucky]

While walking in the park a couple of days ago, I stopped to talk with an old man who was fishing with mealworms. First thing I knew, he insisted that I take two little containers of worms in all stages. I had been thinking about trying to farm a few for my chickens, so now I have no excuse. I put them in a plastic storage box, with a substrate of whole wheat, corn meal and rolled oats. (Had no wheat bran) They seem to be doing OK, eating the apples, hiding under the paper towel. I don't have a lid on it. We'll see what happens.

 

[Mommato5]

Quote:
For what it's worth, I keep mine in the kitchen under the sink. It was babyproofed and I didn't want the cat, dog or kids getting into them. They don't smell and with the noise of the kitchen you can't hear them either. I feed them once or twice a week and peek at them everyday when I get under the sink for dishwasher soap.

I do not, however, feed them fruit because it did smell then. Currently they are eating yellow squash from our garden. Honestly, unless I tell someone, no one knows they are there.

 

[Gold Griffin Chicken Mom]

I did have my "farm" under the counter in the pot cupboard, but Oldest Daughter announced I was taking up valuable pot space.

My next spot will be the laundry room on top of the dryer. Maybe I'll keep up better with the laundry if I do one load every day to warm up the mealies. One a day is supposed to be easier on our spetic system than an all-day marathon wash day. Since people aren't really supposed to pile things on a dryer, maybe this'll work!

 

[CountryCentinel]

What a neat idea, I had no idea about this, might have to try it myself... ;-)

 

[hannakat]

Quote:

Mommato5 ~ great idea!! Thanks!

 

[oneofseven]

Glad to see so many new people. Welcome.

 

[cjwaldon]

I just got my start of 1,000 mealies yesterday.

I gave them two apple slices last night, and this morning the apples were totally gone, just the skin left as evidence. Do they always eat so much? Or were they just especially thirsty after 3 days in the not-so-tender care of the PO? The box was kind of smashed but worms were fine. The shipped eggs I got were only marked "hold at PO" and was not damaged. The worms were marked "Live Worms, do not freeze" and that box got abused. Go figure. I gave them raw carrot slices this morning.