Mealworm farming

[WestKnollAmy]

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Sounds like a great plan!

If I ever clean out my big bedroom closet I would use that one since I have 2 chest of drawers in there. But I have decorations piled to the ceiling on them so there isn't room. We don't have an attic to put stuff in so my closets get all the junk.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

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Awwww, their own little wading pool, of sorts.

That is a grand idea. I know I will need more humidity now that the furnace has kicked on. A chilly 32 here this morning. Our first frost of the year!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

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How wonderful that your first bin is on the feed out schedule! That is great!

I have a few orders to go out next week and then I will take my big frass bin and feed it to the chicks. I figure if I set it inside another big container, like what I use for chick brooders then if they kick the frass out it will still be caught by that container but they can clean up any little mealies I can't seem to get. And they will have a blast playing in all that"sand", to boot. The chicks are about 3-4 weeks old so this will give them something fun to do for the day.

Unless anyone thinks it would be bad for baby chicks to be in 3-4 inches of frass for about 7 hours?

 

[oneofseven]

I have been doing a lot of online research on mealies. I am working on putting together a fact sheet. Lots of great info. Stay tuned. If any of you are coming to the GeorgiaLina Chickenstock in Augusta next weekend, I would like some more worms. I'd like to see some of those roaches, too.

 

[Kassaundra]

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Roaches are just about as easy as mealies to raise, but they do take longer to get the colony to feed out size. I started w/ 200 small /medium and one breeding pair. It was 8 months or so to be able to feed out once a week, at just over one year old (colony) I can feed out 30 approx 4-5 times a week. They do require suplemental heat (I use a red light bulb) most house temps won't kill them but will slow them down. My chickens will tackle me for them literally. I'm still trying to grow my colony even w/ my feed out schedule, I would like to get to feed out 90 per day so I have a ways to go. I may only feed out through this winter and stop feeding through the spring summer to try and get the colony bigger. Here is a thread that talks a lot about dubias as well as other feeder insects, my dubia pics are on post 100, but there are others sprinkled through the thread.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=412070&p=10

 

[oneofseven]

Thanks for the info. Pics look like from a magazine.

 

[Gypsi]

So mealworms LIKE humidity? Sounds like they could winter in the fish room, it is definitely the most humid room of my house. And plastic drawers are the deal, better than aquariums (eying the small plastic drawer cart next to my desk that doesn't have that much in it)

Hmmmm... this is starting to sound do-able!

Gypsi

 

[oneofseven]

No, They do not like relative humidity. (35-55%) is optimal. they get their necessary fluids from the things they consume ( potatoes, apples, etc...). The drier the medium they are living in the better. This will also cut down on grain mites which need lots of humidity. Also, the optimum temp is 80 degrees +/- 2 degrees.

 

[Gypsi]

ok, fish room is out. Plastic rolling cart still in?

 

[oneofseven]

Yeah, you could use a margarine tub, as long as you cut holes in the lid. I have a gallon Ice Cream tub I use. The surface of the walls should be smooth. An aquarium/ terrarium is great if you have one. Use what you have; money is tight.