Mealworm farming

[ID Pam]

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Great pictures. Just what I needed. I am off to buy a large set of drawers (hopefully on wheels) later this week. If you have not already done so, could you post your feed/bedding recipe. Thanks so much. Now I will go back to reading.

Pam in ID

 

[JSLKelly]

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In the first couple of days the beetles have a little trouble, but I have two pieces of eggcrate in there so it isn't too bad. I have also added a bit more rolled oats so they can walk better. They eat it great though.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Okay, I dumped the tub, cried a little, said goodbye to those creatures as the chickens had a blast consuming them and came inside to order more.
So now I have 2000 on the way. I will scrub the 2 contaminated tubs this afternoon and start the new bins tomorrow. I also sprayed the entire table down with Lysol and the entire floor around it. I am waiting for it to dry so I can vacuum again. I think I will move the table to a different spot, too, just to be safe.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

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I'm so sorry we couldn't help more and solve this problem.

I think you did all that you could. Good luck on smacking down any surviving mites!

 

[HenCrazyMom]

I have 5000 mealies on the way.

ee Gonna get my stuff set up so I am ready when they arrive. I cannot wait for this adventure and to share some of the mealies with my girls. I love how they come running to see what goodies I am bringing. Also have 500 crickets coming too but those are for my son's gecko--he is quite the little piggy gecko. I may decide to share some of the crickets with my girls as well.

 

[hannakat]

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I know how hard this was for you! Now you can spend your time caring and enjoying them instead of being faced with that awful battle every day.



HenCrazyMom ~

Congrats!!!

ID Pam ~ Welcome Pam!!! You're gonna have soooo much fun. Send a PM if you haven't run into the 'recipe' yet! There are many variations though.

 

[yinepu]

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Sorry you had to dump them.. just be sure for the next batch that all the grains that you use have either been nuked, frozen or both before putting it into your bins.. apparently the little buggers are in the grain products and any high humidity can make them hatch

 

[feliciamckee]

Hello! I have been reading this thread for the last 3 days! It has taken me that long because I am hyper and can only sit at the computer for so long! Wow, I feel like I know you guys already...those of you who post often. Sorry for your trouble and loss Amy. Anyway, I ordered 1,000 from Uncle Jim's...I know, I know, some of you have said beware and I took that into serious concideration. I was also ordering red wigglers for my compost worm bin as well and Uncle Jim's had the best deal for all. My order would have cost twice as much at the other sites. I know you get what you pay for so I will let everyone know how it goes. I have been planning on doing this at the start of Spring but got busy with my garden. This thread got me motivated again. Thank you all! I am a clean freak but I can't wait to have a house full of bugs and worms!

 

[hannakat]

WELCOME feliciamckee!!!

So glad you're joining us!!

I ordered my worms from Uncle Jim and had a bit of a time but eventually they did send the correct worms **whew** and even had a ton of babies hiding in there, so in the long run, it was okay. Sadies chicks had an even worse experience with them. If you have any issue, please PM me and I will lend a hand since I've already talked to him about correcting orders in a timely fashion.

Clean freak with bugs....has a nice ring to it!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Thank you all for the kind words.
It is crazy for me to feel that way about the 2 bins I lost but it was such a work in progress. Bad enough I had to fight ants out of one tub but the water moat certainly helped that. I almost feel like putting the other one into a moat, and maybe something like Fort Knox!

So now on with my survivors and new ones on the way to help keep it all going. The chicks certainly can't wait for them to grow enough and by then my chicks won't be chicks anymore but I hatch all the time so there will always be new chicks to feed and I will offer these new mealies, a few anyhow, to my keets that are growing up.
They weren't too keen on the idea last time and the chicks had to show them what to do. Funny Guineas! I only have lavenders left to raise since I sold my pearls. I wasn't going to but it happened. These lavenders will always be penned so I want to make them love me.

feliciamckee, a clean freak, eh? Must be nice. My house is better suited for bugs. I keep my barn much cleaner than my house but then my DH doesn't live down there!

You are so going to enjoy raising mealies! It has been a lot of fun and a neat experience.


I am so glad we have so many folks chiming in on this thread. It makes it a great learning experience and fun for everyone. The more the merrier! And our chickens are totally grateful!