Mealworm farming

[Chaneys Ranch]

Turkeys are fun, they really liven up your barnyard! It's gonna be awfully quiet when 2 of the 4 visit the freezer

The mealworms seem to be fine down in the warm dry boiler room. I am noticing that quite a few have turned into beetles now. Roll on production of mealworm eggs

haha I LOVE the picture in my head of your alpacas mugging you on the way to your pigs

they are such characters aren't they? Those big eyes melt me.... I will get with the program and try some FF for them at the weekend (these dark mornings my DH tends to feed them and I do the poultry before I go to work).
Will report on progress! Have also just added alfalfa pellets to the FF not sure if they will go down well. The chicken and turkeys turn up their beaks at the pellets in their normal dry form....

I know a few others tried alfalfa pellet too, snuck them in... (hehe) Its really good for them. Have you looked at the fodder and the sprouting yet? I will start it once the snow comes and the greens are gone. DH asked me if all the "foolin around with the food" is helping.. I said just look at them. My runt pig has taken off like crazy, she was maybe 10-15 pounds and is finally putting weight on. My big pig, Bacon, is ready to go in 2 weeks or less. All my birds are just beautiful (except my molting hen!)

 

[Turkeytruff]

I know a few others tried alfalfa pellet too, snuck them in... (hehe) Its really good for them. Have you looked at the fodder and the sprouting yet? I will start it once the snow comes and the greens are gone. DH asked me if all the "foolin around with the food" is helping.. I said just look at them. My runt pig has taken off like crazy, she was maybe 10-15 pounds and is finally putting weight on. My big pig, Bacon, is ready to go in 2 weeks or less. All my birds are just beautiful (except my molting hen!)

yes I can report that they scoffed it all down this morning. It actually smelled good in the FF, not like it does in its dry form -go figure

That's great news about your pigs, I would like to get 1 or 2 next spring for fattening up. So far my DH is stopping me!

Yes, I am also on my 2nd tray of sprouting wheat and barley. In fact I think I made too much, the first tray is almost gone but it is about 3 to 4 inches long and I am out there with scissors

chopping them in half before feeding the hens so they don't get impacted crops (the turkeys just gobble it straight away - they mug me at the door of the enclosure "Give me your sprouts and no one gets hurt!")


This one is a Narragansett and I call him my Turkeywolf. He is very pleased with himself for figuring out a system for sneaking up past the hawk proofing at dusk and perches on top of everything,

much to the chagrin of the other turkeys who haven't figured out how to do that yet.

 

[WildflowerJLH]

FF?

 

[Sumatra503]

Well, it's official, I'm a crazy wormy girl now,.

got 30 going right now, just starting out small, cause I have a few bantams and don't need much.

I also have a batch of crickets going. I think I like them more than the wormies so far. The chooks just go crazy chasing them around!

 

[Kassaundra]

FF?

fermented feed

 

[Chicks Galore3]

Well, it's official, I'm a crazy wormy girl now,.

got 30 going right now, just starting out small, cause I have a few bantams and don't need much.

I also have a batch of crickets going. I think I like them more than the wormies so far. The chooks just go crazy chasing them around!

Oooo, how do you do the crickets?

 

[Chicks Galore3]

Quote: My wormies LOVE celery, it was gone within a day and a half! potatoes are second, carrots third. I run my hand through it to show off to people- the bedding starts 'waving' up and down, and some people actually scream.

 

[Sumatra503]

Oooo, how do you do the crickets?

You keep them in a container with a mesh lid that is at about 80*F heat and give them water with a chick waterer that has cotton balls in the base so they don't drown, give them chicken feed as the food, and have a small container of damp potting soil for egg laying. My set up is small, so my waterer is a tuna can stuffed with a washclothe. They like egg cartons to hide in and do much better with cover.

They do chirp, but I think it's cute!

Also, not my avatar, it is Dexter eating a cricket!

 

[johnmw1]

Hi John,
If they aren't blackened, they really are ok... if you gently touch their tail they will wiggle slightly. they will start to brown up a little then the beetle splits out. They come out white, and go from brown to black bettles in a few days. The hot temps are great for mealies, but do keep them out of the sun.

No they are not dark or black as yet, but having said that after today's inspection I can see that some have now changed to a light brown and their legs have suddenly popped out although they are still laying on their backs and not doing much. I have carefully placed them right side up but I don't think I'll be doing that for too long, does it really matter? I have them laying on top of the wheatmeal, should they be covered or they will burrow when they are able to?

My mealies all seem to be pupating quite frantically at the moment and it seems I probably picked out another 150 or so today, maybe the warm weathers influence.

Thanks for the reply........

Cheers,
John

 

[GCMealworms]

I started the sorted drawer method weeks ago. I leave the beetles in a drawer for a week then move them to a new drawer and leave the eggs in the drawer to hatch. I have each drawer marked with the dates and I have heat pads under each drawer controlled with a thermostat at 72 degrees. My first egg drawer had the beetles removed on 10-15. I still have not seen a baby worm as of yet. I didnt have many beetles in there then but at least 50. I think I should be seeing something by now. I tried putting a slice of apple on top of the bran to see if anything would come up to feed on it but nothing. Is this normal to go 38 days without seeing anything?