Mealworm farming

[kari_dawn]

if you have beetles, trust me you have worms. Their life cycle takes three months. The worms start out almost microscopically tiny. You will probably start to notice very small worms in the next few weeks. Mine are by my back door in a plastic bin, and we aren't running the heat inside. It is about 68 degrees in here, and many of mine are actually entering into the pupae stange (where the worm is squishy, not moving, but still normal colored), but my colony is established, and I "refreshed" my colony the first few times I was in beetle only cycle by ordering more worms to ensure that I had different life cycles going at all times in my colony.

Just be patient! Adding some potato pieces may help...mine seem to have a population explosion when I add moisture....and my colony is regularly neglected. They only get potato when the ones in the potato bin go a bit soft. My colony once went five months without any added moisture.

 

[gale65]

ok thanks. I'll have to buy some potatoes. I have to anyway for Thanksgiving so I'll cut one up for them. I have mainly been giving them lettuce leaves, because they seem to like those the best.

I need to fish out all the dead worms and skins but I'm worried about getting eggs or babies. I might just separate them into another container and see if anything moves in the next few weeks/months...

 

[kari_dawn]

I leave the dead worms because the others eat them. I do remove the skins, which is very easy...take them outside, and blow them off the top.

As for potato, it isn't a requirement, but I like to use it because it holds more liquid for a longer period of time.

What do you have your mealworms in? I clean out the frass when it builds up (I have mine on chick starter, and as the colony goes, the chick starter gets powdered into frass [mealworm poo] at the bottom), and I put it in another container for a month or two. Once I start seeing little mealies, I get my wire mesh strainer (specifically for this purpose), and sift them out. As I am sifting, I toss the powder that has already been sifted.

An old window screen is also fantastic for this.

 

[jwcutt]

Quote:
LOL never in my life will I be so excited to have worms... Gosh!! the things we do for the chickens...

 

[OwensMom]

It has gotten colder here and the house is at about 65* but the room that my worms are in is pretty constantly at 60*. I put a heating pad turned to low under the 2 bins and that seems to keep the mealies happy. I have a constant supply of pupae to fish out every morning. Someone said to put newspaper on top to retain heat and I think that I'll do that in a couple of weeks. Every morning first thing I tend to my mealies then feed my fish and I look forward to this!! I'm easily amused!!

 

[gale65]

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Mine are in oatmeal. I guess taking out the deadies is just a matter of aesthetics for me. It looks icky.

 

[Imagesoart]

Hey!

How and when do you decide to use the worms? I am afraid that I am going to scoop up too many and not have any more to make more. So instead, I keep buying new bins to start more worms in. I have them in little plastic drawer bins. Now I have nine drawers. I start them with chick starter food. I have a lot of worms, but would like to have a way to systematically make make more.

Is there a percentage of the worms that I should take out? I guess I am wondering how you harvest them to feed them to the chickens. Do you just leave some in there? Start new trays? Is there a link that explains how to move on, once you have the hang of breeding them?


Also, I have found that putting in mini carrots works best for me. The potatoes always molded. They eat the entire carrot, and fast too!

Thanks for your help!

 

[Gypsi]

OK, my americauna chicks have sampled the worms. Kept coming back for more. (I avoided pupae, which I seem to have quite a few of, and swiped about 10 for them)

Darn, I had a question and forgot what it was. Happy Friday everyone!

 

[galanie]

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We're all easily amused or we wouldn't be doing this!

Paper is the best insulation there is. Good idea.

 

[hannakat]

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Mine are in oatmeal. I guess taking out the deadies is just a matter of aesthetics for me. It looks icky.

I also remove the dead. Potato has never been a favorite moisture source for my colony. They prefer carrot, apple, kiwi, lettuce leaves, kale, beet leaves, and such...but not potato. I would never go months without suppling the veggies since raising mealworms, for me, has a purpose....feed the chickens. The mealies will only develop at the optimun speed and health with regular veggies.

If you go to the first post on this thread, you will find links to 3 different mealworm fact/fun pages. So glad to hear how you're "farming"!!!