Mealworm farming

[PAchickensgalor]

After reading these recent posts, I am moving my mealworms into a spare bedroom, where I can turn the heat up a little (maybe 76) and keep the door shut. The rest of my house is around 68-70 and I want to get my colony off to a good start. I'm impatient. I have to wait 3-4 months for worms I can actually feed? Argh!!!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Hannakat, I was on the floor laughing! No one has called me grasshopper before. Waiting for one year? I don't think I have the patience. I thought a beetle lays several hundred eggs so I would be up to my ears with worms in several months. If i want to harvest several hundred worms a week, how big should my colony be to start? I can wait several months, but a year is too long.

If you have beetles you will get more than enough eggs and tiny worms in a month or so. Someone said they were concerned because I was feeding beetles to my chicks. But I can tell you they reproduce quickly. I have three drawers that are now practically black with beetles inside. So don't worry about giving away a few mealies or about feeding out a few beetles.

 

[bobbieschicks]

After reading these recent posts, I am moving my mealworms into a spare bedroom, where I can turn the heat up a little (maybe 76) and keep the door shut.  The rest of my house is around 68-70 and I want to get my colony off to a good start.  I'm impatient.  I have to wait 3-4 months for worms I can actually feed?  Argh!!!

I feed out beetles to the girls while we wait for mealies to grow. They eat the dead and live beetles. And there are more then enough left to continue repopulating.

 

[Kjordanov]

Man, I really want some! Lol family thinks it's disgusting though hahah

 

[bobbieschicks]

I keep mine in the three drawer set up, but I have all stages in each drawer because its winter and I'm not sifting in my house.

As far as lids go, I keep the drawers mostly closed with them pulled just a little bit open for circulation. It oogs me out too much to watch the beetles in there if the drawers are open too much.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I keep mine in the three drawer set up, but I have all stages in each drawer because its winter and I'm not sifting in my house.

As far as lids go, I keep the drawers mostly closed with them pulled just a little bit open for circulation. It oogs me out too much to watch the beetles in there if the drawers are open too much.

X2 on the sifting! The dusk tears me up, start wheezing even... outside with a mask or not happening for me. that's some bad stuff!

 

[ms4runr]

I read the mealworms like oats and it may be especially easier to use oats with the beetles because it is easier to separate them out. However, here is the question. Is there a difference in what kind of oats? I got krimped oats to ferment for the chickens. Would these work for the beetles or is rolled oats better??

 

[Kjordanov]

Awesome guys!

 

[AngieO]

Just placed an order for 2200+ mealworms I now need to figure out how much space those guys will take up I have a three drawer thing, but will that be big enough for all of them or should I find something bigger?

 

[bobbieschicks]

I read the mealworms like oats and it may be especially easier to use oats with the beetles because it is easier to separate them out. However, here is the question. Is there a difference in what kind of oats? I got krimped oats to ferment for the chickens. Would these work for the beetles or is rolled oats better??

I was using oats I got at the grocery store when I first started. They seemed fine with it. Then I tried wheat flour, and I liked how fine the flour was for sifting, but they seem to like the wheat bran better.