Mealworm farming

[bobbieschicks]

LOL, did you agree on a price? Hehe, the more he gets tired of it, the higher the price will get!

I do believe you've met my son. Lol. I know he will give up on it very quickly. My dd has asked if she could work it. Her only conditions were that she doesn't have to touch "the beetles or worms or anything dirty" so I'm wondering what she thinks she could help me do.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Sorry double posted. Having trouble all day with posting at BYC.

 

[Kassaundra]

If put in the same bin would the beetles eat the pupae?

Not usually, especially if they have plenty of moisture and food.

 

[wattsjadajoe]

What setup do you have now?
I'm thinking this whole screened top drawer idea may get old fast. I have the flour in the seco d drawer so it shouldn't fall out. Definitely I can foresee the oat bran stuff will be falling out of the top drawer and making a mess around the base even if I am careful. We may have to rethink this later. I'll see how much trouble it is this way and how much help I get from my son who said he would help for a price.

I use a multi-drawer set up. I just got rid of the screen idea. As my beetles begin to appear I put 100 beetles per drawer, sometimes I toss some pupae in there also to get an offset timeline.....since the beetles only live about 2 months. After the beetles die, I let the chicks clear the beetles out, 1drawer at a time, then I add more substrate and keep the mealies happy.
It is actually pretty simple. It is just the screen will get old FAST!! LOL

Joe

 

[bobbieschicks]

I use a multi-drawer set up.  I just got rid of the screen idea.  As my beetles begin to appear I put 100 beetles per drawer, sometimes I toss some pupae in there also to get an offset timeline.....since the beetles only live about 2 months.  After the beetles die, I let the chicks clear the beetles out, 1drawer at a time, then I add more substrate and keep the mealies happy.
It is actually pretty simple.  It is just the screen will get old FAST!!  LOL

Joe

I think you are right about that. For future reference, how did you change back the drawer?

 

[mychookschick]

I do believe you've met my son. Lol. I know he will give up on it very quickly. My dd has asked if she could work it. Her only conditions were that she doesn't have to touch "the beetles or worms or anything dirty" so I'm wondering what she thinks she could help me do.

LOL, No, I haven't met your son, never been to VA. But, for your daughter, you can give her a plastic throw away spoon to use! (that is what I do

)

 

[wattsjadajoe]

I think you are right about that. For future reference, how did you change back the drawer?

I didn't....LOL

I located another set of drawers at a second hand store. I'm still trying to figure out what I can use the screen drawer for...hahah I've been thinking about raising crickets. I'm a total recycle-er! I usually find a secondary purpose for everything!

Joe

 

[bobbieschicks]

Okay thanks - I guess I could just put a piece of plexiglass or thin plywood over the opening and glue that in there if I need to remake it back into a drawer. We will see how much effort it is to remember to open both top and middle drawers at the same time.

I didn't....LOL

I located another set of drawers at a second hand store. I'm still trying to figure out what I can use the screen drawer for...hahah I've been thinking about raising crickets. I'm a total recycle-er! I usually find a secondary purpose for everything!

Joe

 

[Emily1220]

It seems to me the mealies would smother themselves in the flour. I wouldnt use that at all. They do need to have some air!! Try not to make this tooooo complicated. It is super easy if you let it be.

 

[kizanne]

If I don't seperate the beetles from the pupea will they cannibalize the pupae. I'm just putting the beetles and pupae together in an upper bin at this time. Also, any ideas what might happen if I combine Mighty Mealies from Grubco with normal sized mealies from Amy?

I found this to be true but only are real problem if I didn't add veggies in often enough for moisture.

I've been away for a say 100 pages or so about 3 months or so. I was running a bin system but not with screen just moving pupae to new large bins and keeping them age seperate. Then when I wanted to harvest I had a bin at all times that was designated take as much as you want because my other bins had beetles, larva and new pupa ensuring I could never over harvest. It worked really well and I harvested lots when I grew meaties this winter, I used it to suppliment their protein % for organic feed. I also treat my layers regularly. I didn't have much trouble with Cannibalization, none that I know.

Then...... life happened and I got busy and tired of playing with worms and my garden wasn't throwing out lots of 'bad' veggies that I could just throw in the worm bin. Well when I did go check like a month or two later. the beetles were all on top of the pupa and Cannibalization was rampant. I started adding in cucumbers now that I have them and some get worms in them. I cut out the bad worms and feed to the chickens and the good worms. They now are back to barely paying any attention to the pupa where when the veggie thus moisture was low they were using it as a food source.

Good luck. I've loved my mealies and so do my new meaties and my broody who gets on nest treats for being such a good momma. I'm back to taking care of them now and as has been said before. They can really take some abuse and neglect so they are the perfect pet. If you get tired of them just put them all in one big bin with lots of feed and the occasional moisture source. They'll do just fine.