Mealworm farming

[Lacy Blues]

It probably hasn't finished its metamorphosis yet. When it is fully dried and mature, it will be almost black and crawl around very quickly. You may not think they're so adorable at that stage as they will latch onto your finger when you put food in there. They don't bite or anything but those leg! Eeeegghg!

 

[kwol]

The yuck factor is much less for me with letting the bettle latch onto my finger than trying to catch one between thumb and fore finger. I am afraid I would squeeze too hard and "CRUNCH"! Then I would be grossed out. Picking up the pupae is no issue.

I finally added the screen to my drawer and sifted everything out of the bettle drawer so the eggs can fall through. Now to see if it is more efficient that way.

 

[HomesteadDebi]

I have lost a chick to a mealworm which came out the top of its head (YEAUCH!). Don't know the mechanics of it, but it sure made me size mealies for chicks MUCH more carefully, or feed dead worms only. (I kill mine either by freezing or by nipping the head off with a thumbnail.) Pupae are another good way to ensure that no harm comes to your chicklets, especially the very small like Seramas.

Wow. Has anyone else had this happen? I am considering raising them for my chicks but I do not want something like this to happen. I guess this would not be a problem if I froze them, but I would like to know.

On the same subject, do most of you freeze or kill them first?

 

[onafixedincome]

Wow. Has anyone else had this happen? I am considering raising them for my chicks but I do not want something like this to happen. I guess this would not be a problem if I froze them, but I would like to know. On the same subject, do most of you freeze or kill them first?

I'd heard horror stories but largely discounted them....bear in mind this was a Serama of the teeny tiny age/size and a relatively large worm he'd got hold of.

Appropriately sizing the worms fed to chicks with access to grit and restricting the amount seems to be the way to go, at least for mine, although after that incident I nip the heads off the worms that might even POSSIBLY be a bit large, or just feed pupae until the chicks are large enough to deal with small mealies OK on their own.

Freezing would definitely be an option.

 

[furbabymum]

It probably hasn't finished its metamorphosis yet. When it is fully dried and mature, it will be almost black and crawl around very quickly. You may not think they're so adorable at that stage as they will latch onto your finger when you put food in there. They don't bite or anything but those leg! Eeeegghg!

That must be it. It's such a pretty amber color right now. We still have but the one as well. I might change my mind when I have a tub of 1k of them....

 

[HomesteadDebi]

Wow. Has anyone else had this happen? I am considering raising them for my chicks but I do not want something like this to happen. I guess this would not be a problem if I froze them, but I would like to know. On the same subject, do most of you freeze or kill them first?

I'd heard horror stories but largely discounted them....bear in mind this was a Serama of the teeny tiny age/size and a relatively large worm he'd got hold of.

Appropriately sizing the worms fed to chicks with access to grit and restricting the amount seems to be the way to go, at least for mine, although after that incident I nip the heads off the worms that might even POSSIBLY be a bit large, or just feed pupae until the chicks are large enough to deal with small mealies OK on their own.

Freezing would definitely be an option.

Thank you

 

[onafixedincome]

I've found that eleven baby Seramas can eat an ASTOUNDING number of mealies....! Given free choice, you would not believe what they can suck down...

Err on the side of safety, GET LOTS TO START WITH! Off to order more....

 

[MamaAB]

Ok again I feel like I have a "duh" questions.

I keep seeing some black dark brown worms in my box. Are those dead?

I have some that don't really seem to move are they changing or are they dead? I want to give my chicks a few but am unsure if they can eat the dead ones?

Thanks

 

[Demosthine]

I've found that eleven baby Seramas can eat an ASTOUNDING number of mealies....! Given free choice, you would not believe what they can suck down...

Err on the side of safety, GET LOTS TO START WITH! Off to order more....

You should not be providing mealworms "free choice." They are not nutritionally balanced. Mealworms should be treated as more of a snack or a treat, given maybe once a day. The black soldier fly larvae is more balanced and a more appropriate "free choice" meat, although they are a bit more difficult to have a colony of.

 

[liz9910]

Ok again I feel like I have a "duh" questions.

I keep seeing some black dark brown worms in my box. Are those dead?

I have some that don't really seem to move are they changing or are they dead? I want to give my chicks a few but am unsure if they can eat the dead ones?

Thanks

Dark brown crunchy looking are dead. The worms that aren't moving are changing into the pupae. My chickens love dead beetles, worms, and of course the live ones