Mealworm farming

[cluck-cluck]

Feeder roaches are very easy to raise, much easier then even meal worms, and much quicker results, the chickens LOVE them. There are alot of people who buy roaches. The roaches you raise are not like the common house roach at all.

Shiver me timbers, I just couldn't do it, Kassaundra! If they get loose, would they invade your home? What do they eat?

I seriously don't think I could do this though... LOL

 

[Kassaundra]

Shiver me timbers, I just couldn't do it, Kassaundra! If they get loose, would they invade your home? What do they eat?

I seriously don't think I could do this though... LOL

These are tropical non climbing non flying, they die in temps below 60'. Short of dumping your container over into the house they can't escape. They eat cat food (dry) and fruits, veggies, breads etc..... My signature line has pics

 

[Mavrk]

It's much easier to raise earthworms if you have a spot outside and make a box with no bottom. 2' x 4' with 12 to 18" sides is a good size. Now just find some one with a horse or even better is rabbits. Fill the box 3/4 of they way up with the horse or rabbit or even both waste. Now all you need to do is add worms and spray water over them every few days This method will work anywhere. If you do something wrong like to dry or to wet or to hot or to cold the worms just go down in the dirt for awhile but they will always come back. You will need a piece of wood for the top to keep any chickens and rain out. if you get snow you can use a piece of Styrofoam for a lid and you don't have chickens free ranging.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Good luck

I never knew earthworms were that easy. I have always heard of people raising them in the same manner as composting worms. I might have to give that a try too (I have a rabbit). Of course, I may have reached my limit with my wife on the "worm" growing front.

 

[hemet dennis]

Quote: If you have the rabbit over dirt all you have to do is put some wood around to contain the droppings and when you have a couple inches put the worms in. There's no work. When you water the rabbit just put some on the droppings. The worms will keep any smell and bugs away.

 

[hemet dennis]

This guy is raising them in a desert location that gets snow for part of the year. Now he raises so many that he does have to feed every week. The horse poop he gets for free.

He has other videos of feeding and harvesting and sorting and shipping.

With worms you get the feed for free and you can sell the worms and their poop.

 

[Mavrk]

This guy is raising them in a desert location that gets snow for part of the year. Now he raises so many that he does have to feed every week. The horse poop he gets for free.

He has other videos of feeding and harvesting and sorting and shipping.

With worms you get the feed for free and you can sell the worms and their poop.

That guy is actually raising red wigglers. I have seen people make trenches for them, but he has some serious acreage. I know red wigglers can be raised on manure, but I have enough scraps to feed them that I don't bother since the rabbit manure does not need the extra processing to be used. Yes, I know red wigglers are a type of earthworm, but they are normally discussed separately because they don't burrow down as far and can't live in dirt alone.

 

[onafixedincome]

"Build it and they will come"--definitely applies to rabbit manure and worms! Almost any earthworm will take one whiff and head thataway in little chuckwagons lettered with "BUNNY OR BUST". I have over 100 rabbits, and my worms handle every bit of the waste. (I had to deny my neighbor some this year--he uses the bunny poo for his garden -- and the worms were running short!)

I was absolutely astounded by the results of my going through one of the beetle bins yesterday--despite repeated nightly freezing temperatures, there were no more dead beetles than there were in midsummer! They're a bit slower, and the substrate *had* molded somewhat, but overall everyone looked pretty good. I moved all live beetles to fresh bran and gave 'em an apple, which they seemed to enjoy more once I laid a string of nice warm christmas lights across the bin to add a little warmth.

For those who have very small numbers of worms, I strongly suggest--stock up! The investment in a thousand or more will run you perhaps twenty dollars and supply your chickens for years to come if all goes well. Just remember that for each dead beetle you pull out of the colony, you need to replace it with one or two more, and hold back mealies to grow on out accordingly. I do err on the side of holding back more than I probably really need. The rest...well, the rest are chicken feed.

 

[Lacy Blues]

"Build it and they will come"--definitely applies to rabbit manure and worms! Almost any earthworm will take one whiff and head thataway in little chuckwagons lettered with "BUNNY OR BUST". I have over 100 rabbits, and my worms handle every bit of the waste. (I had to deny my neighbor some this year--he uses the bunny poo for his garden -- and the worms were running short!)

I was absolutely astounded by the results of my going through one of the beetle bins yesterday--despite repeated nightly freezing temperatures, there were no more dead beetles than there were in midsummer! They're a bit slower, and the substrate *had* molded somewhat, but overall everyone looked pretty good. I moved all live beetles to fresh bran and gave 'em an apple, which they seemed to enjoy more once I laid a string of nice warm christmas lights across the bin to add a little warmth.

For those who have very small numbers of worms, I strongly suggest--stock up! The investment in a thousand or more will run you perhaps twenty dollars and supply your chickens for years to come if all goes well. Just remember that for each dead beetle you pull out of the colony, you need to replace it with one or two more, and hold back mealies to grow on out accordingly. I do err on the side of holding back more than I probably really need. The rest...well, the rest are chicken feed.

Is this earth worms you are talking about or mealworms?

 

[hemet dennis]

Quote:
Their talking about earthworms in the rabbit waste.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

Yay! I have rabbits, so I might do red wigglers in the spring!

Where would I buy them?