I just got mine from eBay .. 1000 of them . I put them in a bin with oats & the bran that came with them and a small container of water with very small holes in the lid for moisture & a couple slices of apple...
Mealworm farming
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Hi Everyone! I can't believe how many pages there are to this topic! I don't have time to read them all unfortunately, but I have ready the first several pages, a few in between and the last couple of pages. My question is with the screen that is used for allowing the baby worms to fall into the bin below it, what size of screen is used? I just bought some meal worms off of eBay with the intentions of only feeding them to my girls and not farming them even though I had been reading this thread. But I think I am going to have to tell hubby I am changing my mind! I'll give it a try with the three bin system and if I decide I don't want to maintain it them I'll just let the girls feast on them. Also, what is a good number of meal worms to start with?
Welcome Becca! I started with 1000 earlier this year that made thousands more. Start off with however many you want...the more, the merrier. With my initial 1000, I fed a few but let most pupate and morph to beetle stage. I now have thousands in the freezer and another generation well under way, from which I will be able to feed live by January/February.
The screening material is the same as you'd use in your windows. I bought a roll of it from Lowes. Started sprouting, too, so I made jar covers from the screen so it's come in handy. We also used some screening material to separate rust pieces that fell into a can of paint when I opened it....many uses for the screening material.
Let us know what you decide to do...how many worms, etc.
Hi Everyone! I can't believe how many pages there are to this topic! I don't have time to read them all unfortunately, but I have ready the first several pages, a few in between and the last couple of pages. My question is with the screen that is used for allowing the baby worms to fall into the bin below it, what size of screen is used? I just bought some meal worms off of eBay with the intentions of only feeding them to my girls and not farming them even though I had been reading this thread. But I think I am going to have to tell hubby I am changing my mind! I'll give it a try with the three bin system and if I decide I don't want to maintain it them I'll just let the girls feast on them. Also, what is a good number of meal worms to start with?
Welcome Becca! I started with 1000 earlier this year that made thousands more. Start off with however many you want...the more, the merrier. With my initial 1000, I fed a few but let most pupate and morph to beetle stage. I now have thousands in the freezer and another generation well under way, from which I will be able to feed live by January/February.
The screening material is the same as you'd use in your windows. I bought a roll of it from Lowes. Started sprouting, too, so I made jar covers from the screen so it's come in handy. We also used some screening material to separate rust pieces that fell into a can of paint when I opened it....many uses for the screening material.
Let us know what you decide to do...how many worms, etc.
I keep having trouble with too much mold and moisture. You'd think in AZ with our dry air this wouldn't be a problem. I only have about 20-3o adult Beatles, no pupa or worms right now. They're in a plastic container, about gallon sized and with small wholes drilled all over the lid. I've only been giving tiny amounts of lettuce, broccoli or mustard green. The substrate is a mix of corn meal, oat groats and rolled oats.
I need to totally change the substrate today as the oats have turned green. Any recommendation?
I need to totally change the substrate today as the oats have turned green. Any recommendation?
Quote:
Hi Everyone! I can't believe how many pages there are to this topic! I don't have time to read them all unfortunately, but I have ready the first several pages, a few in between and the last couple of pages. My question is with the screen that is used for allowing the baby worms to fall into the bin below it, what size of screen is used? I just bought some meal worms off of eBay with the intentions of only feeding them to my girls and not farming them even though I had been reading this thread. But I think I am going to have to tell hubby I am changing my mind! I'll give it a try with the three bin system and if I decide I don't want to maintain it them I'll just let the girls feast on them. Also, what is a good number of meal worms to start with?
Welcome Becca! I started with 1000 earlier this year that made thousands more. Start off with however many you want...the more, the merrier. With my initial 1000, I fed a few but let most pupate and morph to beetle stage. I now have thousands in the freezer and another generation well under way, from which I will be able to feed live by January/February.
The screening material is the same as you'd use in your windows. I bought a roll of it from Lowes. Started sprouting, too, so I made jar covers from the screen so it's come in handy. We also used some screening material to separate rust pieces that fell into a can of paint when I opened it....many uses for the screening material.
Let us know what you decide to do...how many worms, etc.
Well I accidently won two auctions from the same seller, so I have 1750 large meal worms on their way this week. I think I would like to try the 3 bin system, but I was looking at one of the links posted in the very first post of this thread and saw one person who uses just one container and it looks much simpler. Between the chickens and my large collection of orchids, work, and life, the simpler the better, and the less time consuming the better. Question....when you put the meal worms in the freezer, it kills them, correct? So then you are feeding dead worms instead of live and your chickens like them just the same? Silly question I know but I was just curious. Also in regards to sprouting, are there any links you have available to share or are there any on here?
Hi Everyone! I can't believe how many pages there are to this topic! I don't have time to read them all unfortunately, but I have ready the first several pages, a few in between and the last couple of pages. My question is with the screen that is used for allowing the baby worms to fall into the bin below it, what size of screen is used? I just bought some meal worms off of eBay with the intentions of only feeding them to my girls and not farming them even though I had been reading this thread. But I think I am going to have to tell hubby I am changing my mind! I'll give it a try with the three bin system and if I decide I don't want to maintain it them I'll just let the girls feast on them. Also, what is a good number of meal worms to start with?
Welcome Becca! I started with 1000 earlier this year that made thousands more. Start off with however many you want...the more, the merrier. With my initial 1000, I fed a few but let most pupate and morph to beetle stage. I now have thousands in the freezer and another generation well under way, from which I will be able to feed live by January/February.
The screening material is the same as you'd use in your windows. I bought a roll of it from Lowes. Started sprouting, too, so I made jar covers from the screen so it's come in handy. We also used some screening material to separate rust pieces that fell into a can of paint when I opened it....many uses for the screening material.
Let us know what you decide to do...how many worms, etc.
Well I accidently won two auctions from the same seller, so I have 1750 large meal worms on their way this week. I think I would like to try the 3 bin system, but I was looking at one of the links posted in the very first post of this thread and saw one person who uses just one container and it looks much simpler. Between the chickens and my large collection of orchids, work, and life, the simpler the better, and the less time consuming the better. Question....when you put the meal worms in the freezer, it kills them, correct? So then you are feeding dead worms instead of live and your chickens like them just the same? Silly question I know but I was just curious. Also in regards to sprouting, are there any links you have available to share or are there any on here?
Less moist foods or less time in the box ..
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- #2,326
bobbyc1970 ~ That's awesome! Your colony really moved along quickly!
I still have lots in the freezer but have none that are feeding size right now. With the second generation, I hope to feed the girls a cup of live worms daily in a month or so. I limited the size of my colony by freezing a portion before they pupate giving me enough to carry them through the 'no bugs available' part of early winter. In the spring, I'll go back to freezing excess, limiting the number that pupate since my girls will be able to find their own bugs again.
This is why I don't plan on ever needing more than the one single bin and the 3-drawer.... it will be perfect for my little flock.
I still have lots in the freezer but have none that are feeding size right now. With the second generation, I hope to feed the girls a cup of live worms daily in a month or so. I limited the size of my colony by freezing a portion before they pupate giving me enough to carry them through the 'no bugs available' part of early winter. In the spring, I'll go back to freezing excess, limiting the number that pupate since my girls will be able to find their own bugs again.
This is why I don't plan on ever needing more than the one single bin and the 3-drawer.... it will be perfect for my little flock.
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- #2,327
Quote:
Just use rolled oats. It's easy to end up with too much corn meal (which isn't good) but I don't know about oat groats. Also try putting small holes a couple inches above the substrate. It could be that because of the depth of the bucket, air isn't moving well close to the substrate....and more holes in the lid.
You'll get it worked out! Let us know how it goes!!
Becca ~ The single bin is a very good way to raise them... the KISS method is usually the best (Keep It Simple Stupid) and I often apply it!!
Yes, they are quite dead when frozen and the chickens love them just as much (I let them thaw for about 15 minutes).
There are some incredible threads on BYC about sprouting...just use the search option.
Just use rolled oats. It's easy to end up with too much corn meal (which isn't good) but I don't know about oat groats. Also try putting small holes a couple inches above the substrate. It could be that because of the depth of the bucket, air isn't moving well close to the substrate....and more holes in the lid.
You'll get it worked out! Let us know how it goes!!
Becca ~ The single bin is a very good way to raise them... the KISS method is usually the best (Keep It Simple Stupid) and I often apply it!!
Yes, they are quite dead when frozen and the chickens love them just as much (I let them thaw for about 15 minutes).
There are some incredible threads on BYC about sprouting...just use the search option.
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- #2,328
double post...
Last edited:
Thanks! Will switch to rolled oats today.
Quote:
Just use rolled oats. It's easy to end up with too much corn meal (which isn't good) but I don't know about oat groats. Also try putting small holes a couple inches above the substrate. It could be that because of the depth of the bucket, air isn't moving well close to the substrate....and more holes in the lid.
You'll get it worked out! Let us know how it goes!!
Becca ~ The single bin is a very good way to raise them... the KISS method is usually the best (Keep It Simple Stupid) and I often apply it!!
Yes, they are quite dead when frozen and the chickens love them just as much (I let them thaw for about 15 minutes).
There are some incredible threads on BYC about sprouting...just use the search option.
Thanks! I did a quick search after asking for some links and found some great stuff to read up on! My husband is going to think I have lost my mind...lol. He loves the chickens as much as I do but probably wouldn't mess with sprouting...I tend to dive in deep and get obsessed with stuff I like....lol. I'll do anything for my girls...lol.
Just use rolled oats. It's easy to end up with too much corn meal (which isn't good) but I don't know about oat groats. Also try putting small holes a couple inches above the substrate. It could be that because of the depth of the bucket, air isn't moving well close to the substrate....and more holes in the lid.
You'll get it worked out! Let us know how it goes!!
Becca ~ The single bin is a very good way to raise them... the KISS method is usually the best (Keep It Simple Stupid) and I often apply it!!
Yes, they are quite dead when frozen and the chickens love them just as much (I let them thaw for about 15 minutes).
There are some incredible threads on BYC about sprouting...just use the search option.
Thanks! I did a quick search after asking for some links and found some great stuff to read up on! My husband is going to think I have lost my mind...lol. He loves the chickens as much as I do but probably wouldn't mess with sprouting...I tend to dive in deep and get obsessed with stuff I like....lol. I'll do anything for my girls...lol.
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