Mealworm farming

[galanie]

GoodLuckCharlie! :

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I am so grateful for the friendly group on BYC! Thank you for giving us inspiration and ability to go do things thought not possible on my own

HenCrazyMom: Thank you for sharing about your sweet son, and I agree about the therapy it provides (although its been more therapeutic for me than anyone!) I homeschool my daughter who's 9 yrs. old and special needs. We moved to the rural area from the city to take the opportunity for our slower and more peaceful lifestyle, and I can't even say enough how fantastic it has been! I've been waiting for this lifestyle all my life

She and I are so happy having chickens and living out here.

Above are my attempts at my first farming, according to what I have learned from all of you awesome folk!

I put screening on the bottom of the top drawer (would you also do it to the middle drawer? I got a little lost there).

I added the bran the mealworm came in, brown rice flour, oats, chick starter pellets, cornmeal, apples, potatoes, celery and kale greens, egg cartons, and brown paper bags torn up. All of is organic (except the paper bag maybe) and wheat/gluten-free, dairy free (for our family). How's that to start? I was gonna buy some more bran too.

I have one beetle, and about 300 mealworms. Will there be a bug infestation in the house or garage if they're in there?

Thank you everyone so much!

Just use screening on the top drawer. There shouldn't be any bug infestations where they are. They can't get out and except for some of us that end up with mites or moths in there, other bugs aren't attracted. Seems to me that moths and mites like finely ground bedding and yours looks pretty coarse so unless it's too wet for some reason, nothing will get in there.​

 

[hannakat]

GoodLuckCharlie! ~ Thanks for the great photos! Suggestions: You really need at least 1" of substrate in the drawers. Be careful how much fruit/veggies you put in the drawers....just enough for them to consume in a day or 2.

I keep mine in the house and have had no problems with other bugs, however, it could just be a matter of time before something finds the environment seducing enough to move in. Wherever there is decaying food matter (the veggies) there is bug posibilities. I've been conscientious about using just 'enough' vegetables.

WestKnollAmy ~ Fresh is the best

I only have 4 chickens so at this point I have an abundance!

I bought freeze-dried worms last winter for them and that's what got me started on this journey. Trying to save money (am i really though

) and I know they LOVED even the dried ones. That's how I finally trained them to come! love these mealies....

 

[GoodLuckCharlie!]

Thanks for the suggestions, I will do that.

 

[hannakat]

oh my gosh ~ oh my gosh ~ OH MY GOSH!!!!

I haven't 'played' with my farm since Saturday although I quickly put some apple in yesterday. I just opened the bottom drawer, which is where the first eggs and babies were started and there are.....


..... DRUM ROLL PLEASE......

PUPA!!!!! Several in fact!!! wow oh WOW! My second generation has started. YEA! Guess I better get to freezing them...hahahaaaa

 

[hannakat]

Ummmm... having the mealies pupate now is actually a problem. There are still beetles in the top drawer laying eggs and I wanted to put the next batch in there to start over. I never expected to have pupa and first generation beetles at the same time....really thought the beetles would be dead by now.

Maybe I should think about feeding the beetles to my chickadees to make room for the new generation? I'm so cheap though that I want EVERY LAST EGG those beetles have to lay! Time for another 3-drawer set up so I can continue my observation!!! nononononooooo!!!

Freezing officially starts today!!

 

[Urban Chaos]

Here are a couple of photos of my dirt set up - as you can see - its just dirt.

We've had 3 sets (generations) of beetles so far - the first not long after we purchased the worms, a second in May and now a third coming around - you may be able to see some in the photo.

 

[hannakat]

I'm really fascinated by the dirt mealie farm Urban Chaos. Why did you decide on dirt instead of a wheat product? Do you think they are the same Darkling beetle, t. molitor.? Ah...so many questions!

I was thinking about the dirt and then, as you know, wondered about sand. Now I'm wondering if that changes the nutritional value of the end product ... the mealie. The research I found had the values of it, that showed they are an excellent food source for our chickadees. How would that change without them having the wheat product...I wonder?!

More food for thought!!!

 

[homesteadinmama]

I think dirt would work, as long as they have a food source. I have found some meal worms in our garden while digging before...

What about organic compost?

I ordered my worms from uncle jim, never got them but was charged for them

So now I ordered from exotic nutrition and they shipped today

 

[DMRippy]

I have Beetles! I can't believe it happened so quick! How many beetles do I need at a time???? I have maybe 5 or 6 and about 30 more coming soon! and more changing everyday!!! I have about 1000 mealworms and was going to let them all grow to beetles but that seems extreme now should I just let the 1st gen run its course and then... start feeding my flock of 50 birds to keep the numbers under control??????

I am now the official crazy chicken lady, nobody can believe I play with worms. Nobody wants to tell anyone I have worms

 

[Urban Chaos]

I have no idea if they would be more/less nutritionally adequate for the birds. So far we've received no complaints

.

When I got the worms from the pet store, I needed something to put them in and had not yet read anything on keeping them, so I didnt know better. As for why we went with dirt - we already had the terrarium set up like this for a lizard my kids wanted to keep, poor lizard did not last. I have seen meal worms "in the wild" (my garden) and they seem to be doing fine without wheat-bran or similar. As I mentioned in an earlier post, we have a crazy amount of moths around here, so after reading what people typically keep the worms in, I thought - no way! moths would love it if I had that type of set up.

I've looked up what they eat- "The mealworms eat decaying leaves, sticks, and grasses. Sometimes they feed on new roots and plant parts. They can eat dead insects, waste and stored grains. They get water from potatoes, apples, or other fruits that hold water." I dont know why most sites say to put them in oatmeal or bran - I know that they do eat it, but as they eat other plant matter, I think as long as you have it for them they will do fine.