Mealworm farming

[hannakat]

Dang it Amy.....gonna have to check my B12 levels!!! or go for regular walks in poo

 

[KFaye]

My wormies also LOVE the potatoes and carrots. So fun when I pick up the veggies and there's wormies hanging. Thrills the kiddos.

 

[kilby]

I found a good price around here. 250 for $7. My question is will this cancel the need for layer pellets. Foraging and oystershells I wont dismiss.
Mealworms are organic so I thought why spoil a good thing by adding inorganic pellets.
Are maggots the same thing or dangerous? Like the kind that grow in a compost after you put a dead fish under the whole mound. Anyone have any experiences like that?

 

[Kassaundra]

Black soldier fly larva grow in compost piles and are very good for the chickens. They purge just before pupating and don't eat anything after.

As for true maggots there are those that feed them and swear by it others have had issues w/ botulism killing their chickens.

Not sure if you are asking if you can eliminate layer pellets in favor of mealworms, and free range. That depends on how much meal worms you are growing, how much free range your chickens actually have (year round) plenty of calories and greens. I don't think there is anyone on this thread that has managed to replace all layer pellets w/ insects. (but some of us have that goal)

 

[OkChickens]

Black soldier fly larva grow in compost piles and are very good for the chickens. They purge just before pupating and don't eat anything after.

As for true maggots there are those that feed them and swear by it others have had issues w/ botulism killing their chickens.

Not sure if you are asking if you can eliminate layer pellets in favor of mealworms, and free range. That depends on how much meal worms you are growing, how much free range your chickens actually have (year round) plenty of calories and greens. I don't think there is anyone on this thread that has managed to replace all layer pellets w/ insects. (but some of us have that goal)

I would need millions or billions of mealworms to rule out layer pellets! That would be cool to do that. I wonder how many mealworms 1 chicken would eat a day? Probably 1-2 cups Depending on the size of the bird.

Nate

 

[kilby]

I thought it might be possible if maggots were used but since they are not acceptable I can see farming that many worms might be
pushing a little. Thanks all. Looks like I have 319 pages to read. haha

 

[Ivywoods]

Just got notice my mealies will be shipped tomorrow. I had a plastic tote downstairs, so I didn't have to buy one. Since I want to put a screen on top I went looking all over the place for some scrap window screen. You would think with all the JUNK I've got around this farm that I would be able to find some window screen. Nope. I did find some at Wal-Mart and was able to buy more than enough for about $4. I have some oatmeal in the freezer. I don't have any wheat bran, but I'm thinking next time I go buy feed for the chickens I can pick some up. I think I'll throw a little of my layer mash in a container and freeze it, too. It is a mix of soybean and corn, mostly. Non medicated. I've got a couple potatoes waiting for worm duty. I "THINK" I'm just about ready for my worms!

I've been trying to think of the warmest place in the house to keep them. The warmest place just happens to be on top of our heated waterbed. I can tell you, that ain't gonna happen! I'm not sure what my DH would do, but I know he wouldn't tolerate it, and I don't think I would like the idea, either. I've really had to do some convincing self-talk in order to persuade myself to do this worm farming!

 

[hannakat]

 

[hannahransom]

Ok, I am on page 33 but I am getting my mealworms today and have some questions:

Can I feed them layer PELLETS? Or should they be ground up? I was going to get oatmeal but I can't right now so I have to improvise. I also think they will be more nutritional for the chickens if they are eating layer feed and I plan on giving them to the chickens daily.

Can I feed them flax? Also to make them more nutritional. Would I need to grind this or can they eat it whole?


The lady I am buying from (local) is throwing in some beetles to my order! Yay!

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

I've had good results grinding half the crumbles, and leaving half as-is.