Mealworm farming

[Ivywoods]

The water crystals are awesome w/ the dubias, wouldn't want to try and raise them w/o them, but they can't get all the water they need from fruits and veggies. I have tried the crystals w/ the meal worms, it does work they love them, but the crystals are messier w/ the mealies, they tend to bury the container in the substrate and fill the lid w/ frass. If the lid is small enough or you have enough insects they suck it all dry before any mold or anything develops, but while the frass gets wet (before they dry it) it does have an unpleasant odor. I would only use the crystals w/ the mealies if for some reason I didn't have access to fruit or veggies or was having a confirmed problem w/ lack of moisture.

Thanks for that info. I was hoping to find someone who had actually tried it. I was giving it some serious consideration, not for nutrition of the worms but simply for hydration. I guess sometimes it just seems like the moisture in a potato, carrot or apple just wouldn't be enough with a lot of worms. Evidently is it, however, because when I put a fresh veggie in the bin they don't just "swamp it" like they did when I first had them delivered.

 

[michaelinnc84]

Well I am taking the plunge and starting my meal worm farm today. A friend of mine has some extra and I just so happen to have a 3 draw system already that isn't being used and some oats and carrots. I know I will be starting small because he is going to be giving me probably a few hundred but it's better then nothing . Excited about raising meal worms to provide my chickens some extra treats.

I am also considering doing superworms.

 

[TonySorrento]

Lookie what Santa brought!

More pics to come

 

[Emily1220]

Lookie what Santa brought!

More pics to come

Ohhhh.......I love those kinds of santa gifts!!!! Have fun.

 

[TonySorrento]

So here they are.... gross little things .... lol .... my wife asked me for my man card when I wouldn't play with them like she was

 

[galanie]

It kills me how often in this thread someone says hubby is grossed out and wife loves them!

On the water thing, I have some newspaper on top of the stuff and just sploosh a tablespoon or so of water on it from time to time. They'd love it if I did that every day but I don't think of it that often.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

Cool! where is a good place to get mealworms? i'm thinking of getting anywhere from 2000 to 5000. Yeah, i want alot!

 

[TonySorrento]

Cool! where is a good place to get mealworms? i'm thinking of getting anywhere from 2000 to 5000. Yeah, i want alot!

I think wifey got them from someone on this thread?

 

[G-Man]

I received the meal worms on Feb 29th, located and separated the first 5 pupae two days later and now this morning March 8th my first beetle appeared!

 

[OkChickens]

I received the meal worms on Feb 29th, located and separated the first 5 pupae two days later and now this morning March 8th my first beetle appeared!

Congrats on the Pupas and the Beetle! I am glad to hear that they are growing!

Nate