Mealworm farming

[ipana]

I could be wrong about how those kinds of dog beds work, but I think they are reflecting the heat from the dog's body, aren't they? If so, I don't believe there would be much reflection from the worm bins. Just thinkin'.

 

[Gypsi]

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Roast the sweet potato for the mealworms? (I know the hens will love it, just not so sure about the worms.)

 

[OwensMom]

A seedling mat would be great. And there quite afew heating pads that do shut off after an hour. Hate those-if I want to shut off the heating I'LL shut it off!! I bought oness that just stay on at Walmart. The pads and bins are on a stainless steel rack on a cement floor so fire danger minimal.

I roast everything this time of year!!LOL The worms have very small mouths and maybe no teeth. So roasting would make the potato more readily available for consumption.

 

[oneofseven]

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Roast the sweet potato for the mealworms? (I know the hens will love it, just not so sure about the worms.)

I think the hens would love it , too. I would keep them raw for the wormies. They eat the veggies for the moisture.

 

[Gypsi]

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Yea, I've tried separating them. But the JG just SCARFS hers down and then comes hunting for the BO who will back away.

If I separate them literally with the gate, the JG just goes ballistic and it's like she can smell the worms on the BO's breath and goes after her anyway.

The only time it seems I can do this peacefully, is when the JG is laying an egg, I can sneak the BO out and give her worms. But then I work all day so I can only do this on the weekends.

It's so strange.

The Jersey Giant is 14 months old and I've been told they don't mature till 1 1/2 years of age so maybe she's doing one last growth spurt and is extra hungry lately. I can only HOPE that this passes with time.

She sounds like some african cichlid fish I've known. You have to overcrowd them, or the king of the tank steals all the food and kills his subordinates. Over crowd, get more than one king, and I lose fewer fish as the 2 top fish mainly fight each other, and aggression is distributed more widely.

In chickens, for a while I thought my production reds were beating up my lonely barred rock. (the only one to make it this far, I started with 5). And for a while she moved to the coop to sleep, and now all is peaceful. But I have 5 hens. Anyone who doesn't make it to treats, just misses out, which is why they come when I call.

Hope your JG mellows out with age.

 

[dlee]

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Walgreens on-line have heat pads that don't shut off. They are only available on-line.

 

[Kassaundra]

My mealie high rise has all the tweaks worked out and they are moved in. I've taken some pics, but can't post them until I get home. I am using a string of christmas lights as a heat source, but I have removed many of them.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I am trying a bit of experiment here in the house now. One of my meal worms bins is next to the brooders (geez, I have 2 brooders in the house! I swear I have an addition!) Anyhow, I am raising d'Uccles in the house this winter since DH does not want them down in the barn with the other chicks. So every day they get meal worms. Before this I have only given meal worms once or twice a week to my chickies and sometimes not that often. I hope to see a big different in growth and perkiness from these birds. They also eat a bit of the wheat bran the mealies are in.

So far, those d'Uccles adore me. They think I am a god or something!

I'll take it!

I love them, too. Wonder if I can teach them tricks with mealies? They sure do some funny things with them now.

 

[Smarcebird]

Amy - you could go on the road with your chickens! A traveling chicken circus! Maybe jump through some hoops (on fire?), ride a dog, maybe a highwire act?

 

[hannakat]

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I can't wait to see it!!