Mealworm farming

[NCGrammie]

I'm wondering the same thing about mine...just looks like a bunch of dead worm skin in mine, but if I gently shake it the whole bottom moves around. So I at least know I have a bunch in there...and I see a bunch in the papertowel tube too.

 

[DMRippy]

All you have to do is move the litter.... if it moves and keeps moving you have worms

in a GOOD way.

 

[NCGrammie]

Totally off topic and frustrated, my chickens wont eat worms.. wont even go near them!
really weird! i laid a piece of old carpeting on the ground and theres a ton when i lift it up.
they look at them and run away? Same for the guineas... just so odd.
but they do like mealies and fight over them, chicken football at its best!
when i work in the garden, they will take any worm they find, wondering if its a different type, dunno...
they look the same.

Mine were scared of them the first time I gave them live ones, and all it took was one brave chicken to run up and grab one and it was on then!!

 

[cluck-cluck]

LOL, I from what I've seen from my 6/7 week old chicks (I'm new to raising chicks) is that they won't eat anything until a bold one tries it first. I think I'm lucky that I have a bold rooster that will try things. I started this week taking them out to the back yard and I dug up some worms. They all snubbed their nose at them except the one roo finally took some. Then it took until all of them saw him eating them before anyone would try. Needless to say, he got the most by showing them how it's done

It also happened with the mealies but it didn't take as long for them to grab 'em after they saw one take it. Yogurt took forever for them to try, now they beg for it! Silly Chickens!

 

[NCGrammie]

All you have to do is move the litter.... if it moves and keeps moving you have worms   in a GOOD way.

 

That could be interpreted in so many different ways!

 

[DMRippy]

My guinea were the WORST when they first saw the mealworms. The chickens were the same way, but finally started eating them. The guinea... not so much.

 

[RainbowMealworm]

8 beatles, 120 pupas, and 700-800 mealworms left...... Now, when do they start laying eggs? is it when they first are bettles? or when their shelly thing is black?

My farm is growing YAY!!!!!!!

They will start laying eggs at around 2 weeks after they turn into beetles (give or take 5 days). Sounds like you're doing great!!!

 

[bobbieschicks]

My big worms are quickly changing into pupae. I find many new ones each day. I've also started to get beetles again.

I had one drawer that I "cleaned" of all worms and beetles but of course now the minute ones are finally around two inches and starting to show up in the wheat. Just when I think I've finished with it I find more larva. Lol

 

[DMRippy]

My big worms are quickly changing into pupae. I find many new ones each day. I've also started to get beetles again.

I had one drawer that I "cleaned" of all worms and beetles but of course now the minute ones are finally around two inches and starting to show up in the wheat. Just when I think I've finished with it I find more larva. Lol

I can't tell you how many times I have cleaned the frass bucket..... They never pupate or become beetles in that bucket so ONE DAY really SOON I can toss it for sure.....

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I am still in the OMG LOOK AT ALL THE BEETLES

stage hehehee, i think there's some wee wormies in the first bin tho. I haven't done the "lift" test to see if there is, just don't have time in the evenings. My "youngest" bin still has pupa and just a few mealies left. This thread was Awesome to read thru before i started! The less you do, the better they seem to develop. Have 4 bins going, figures that covers disasters, and most ages.. dunno may add 2 more! I trade eggs with a friend who raises mealies for some different lizards. I will bring her a few dozen eggs, and she gives me a few 1000 mealies. Even tho i am raising them also, she has been at it for years. She knows i am set up too, and if her little geckos need some mealies they are here. Works out great when i splurge and treat my ladies and my Roo. I spoil Red (named after that 70s show) rotten, and he knows it!