Mealworm farming

[DMRippy]

Quote:
I don't really tend to my worms. I put a carrot in and when it is gone for a few days they will get fed again. I have several bins and will put 2-3 carrots in at a time in each bin. The baby wormies don't get that much, maybe a small whole carrot. I maybe feed once a month. I find the less I fool with them the better they do.

I was also requested a week ago for pic of my set up. It is not much. The bottom ones with the teal lids are glued and screwed together with metal door screen on the bottom of the top bin. I have holes in the top and on the sides of both bins to keep the air circulated. The top white bin WAS part of a two part bin like the bottom one, but the worms ate the plastic door screen and I have not had time to replace the plastic. Right now these are on top of the MEGA bator in the young nursery room with brooders and a hatcher to keep the room warm. I might have to move them or put some black plastic over the window in the summer. Last summer they did sweat too much next to the window. I have more bins but they are not in use now. Technical difficulties with the other double bin kinda made me combine some bins.

The teal ones are about 38 inches long maybe 15 inches wide. Just for an idea of how big they are.


This bin (I have 2 of these) has holes on the top and I usually put the litter, eggs, baby worms from the bottom tray in this to grow out. I will spread these out to the other bins too.




I am PLANNING LOL to make a incubator for them. A nice DARK warm box with great ventilation to keep the moisture down. But that is down the road... way down the road.

 

[tazcat70]

Thank you DMRippy. I am glad that you gave the measurements on those teal topped tubs, I thought they were much smaller.

 

[UrbanMamaHen]

Thank you DMRippy.  I am glad that you gave the measurements on those teal topped tubs, I thought they were much smaller.

X2

 

[Mavrk]

Will the mealworms eat apples? If so, is it better to put in half an apple or slice the apple and put a few pieces in?

My guys love apples. They eat it fast enough that it doesn't mold. All that is left is a dry skin when they are done. I put in halves to make it easy. I put it on a plastic lid or on the paper or egg crate.

 

[Kjordanov]

Uuuuughhh!! I want to get some so bad! Lol

 

[Hens and Roos]

We just start our meal worm farm- a friend provided us with some worms to get started

 

[tazcat70]

OK, I have a question. I thought that they liked to hide. I have quite a bit on the top, alive. I have them in an extra incubator that issues light bulbs as a heat source, so maybe they are trying to escape.

 

[Hypertay]

Put a couple of pieces of newspaper on top of the bran, not covering the whole top just a part of it. They like to get in between the paper and do their business. Once you have enough of the worms or the beetles, you can hear them rustling around in the paper, they love it so much!

 

[ms4runr]

Does anyone know if crimped oats would work for the beetles alone? If not, I can use rolled oats, but bought the krimped kind of by mistake. I heard "steamed' and went for it. I plan to feed to chickens with other feed for now.

 

[tazcat70]

Here is what they are doing.