Mealworm farming

[Mystic Farms]

Bottom line is, they are bugs, they can live pretty much anywhere. I do believe that they are more nutritious for our birds when raised on bran instead of dirt, they are opportunists when it comes to eating so whatever is closest is what they consume.

It is also a health issue, do you know what bacterias/germs/viruses are in the dirt you are feeding to the worms and therefore your birds. Bran is considered sterile and therefore won't bring cross contamination to the animal being fed. That was the main reason they stopped recommending feeding earthworms to poultry and reptiles and started with the mealies. Just some thoughts!

 

[Urban Chaos]

my birds eat bugs from the same garden as the dirt my mealies are in. I am not concerned at all...

 

[hannakat]

Quote:

x2


Quote:

It takes 2 to tango

I started with 1000+ worms and pretty much let them all pupate and morph. Now I feel there are enough to meet the winter's feeding need. We all do it a bit differently but that's what makes it great!

 

[hannakat]

Thanks Urban Chaos and Mystic Farms! We just keep learning more and more!

I haven't found sites with detailed info about raising mealworms in anything but a wheat product but am still looking around. Living in Pennsylvania, these are not something we find in the dirt. Even though I'm still curious about sand, I think sticking with wheat bran/oats is for me ...... although I do like the smell of dirt!!

Side note: I froze 25 worms. It seems like they'd keep well this way but I'm still gonna bake some to try that also. Read that the drying needs to be done outdoors (guess cooking mealies don't smell so good) so maybe I'll have time on Thursday. I'm also still trying to decide what to do with the 1st drawer beetles now! Guess there's still time.....

 

[Mystic Farms]

Quote:
if they are free range or let out of the coop at all - there would be no difference! I wouldn't be concerned either, and you are probably using mealies as a snack and not a main source of the birds diet - so another consideration that can be bypassed or at least not weighed as heavily as if it were a diet staple. Bonus is you save a couple bucks on bran! lol

 

[Chickangel79]

I have A LOT of noisy beetles !!! They are in my bedroom as I have no other place to keep them. I have seen them 'getting busy ' how big are the eggs and will I notice them?

 

[hannakat]

Quote:
Yea, the bins tend to sound like Rice Crispies when you pour on the milk!!

Egg compared to a rolled oat. If you watch, you can sometimes see a beetle laying an egg. If you use a 3-drawer system, put a piece of colored paper in the second drawer and check now and then. You have to really study it until you start to reconize the shape and look of an egg.

 

[TerryLou]

Not been on in a few days ~ good to see everyones mealie farms are doing well!

 

[Chickangel79]

Quote:
Yea, the bins tend to sound like Rice Crispies when you pour on the milk!!

Egg compared to a rolled oat. If you watch, you can sometimes see a beetle laying an egg. If you use a 3-drawer system, put a piece of colored paper in the second drawer and check now and then. You have to really study it until you start to reconize the shape and look of an egg.
http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j422/hannakat129/mealwormegg-1.jpg

WOw thanks for posting that ! I'll have a look later. I even dug out my old microscope in case I found any !
I made a two tier system so will put some paper in there !

 

[Mystic Farms]

Quote:
x2 cool pic