Mealworm farming

[Tikkajazz94]

YEAH!!! That is so cool to get your first ones! They take a little while to morph into beetles. They start to turn more brownish and you can see their little eyeballs. I wonder if they can see me looking at them?? LOL!!

lol indeed it is, their just starting, their legs are turning from a white to a pinkish colour, and one has its legs starting to turn darker...

 

[TedJan92_in_Idaho]

I use a plastic spoon so as to not squish anybody!!!

I have 15 totes and probably 100,000+ beetles. I dont think a spoon is going to do it.

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:
You need a really BIG spoon

 

[gale65]

I think with that many, the method that Kassaundra had of putting them in a container they can get out of is the best (put the container in a container they can't get out of too though... ) as long as the worms can't get out of it. But you'd still have the task of separating dead beetles from worms.

 

[mychookschick]

I found TWO beetles! And so far I have pick about 63 pupa out!! I am going to sift through so I get all of them, but this is A LOT, considering that I started with apprx 100 mealies!

 

[WasabiChicki]

This is the craziest thread I've found so far lol!
I had no clue ppl raised bugs for their birds... awesome!
So, my question is, is it worth doing if your flock free ranges in a forest?
(Am I actually looking to justify raising insects lol?!)

 

[Ivywoods]

I can justify ANYTHING if it's something I want to do!

I have questions for you experienced 3-drawer people. I just got mine set up.

Since there is space along the edge of the top drawer where there is no screen (had to have a place to glue the screen) do you gently shake or stir the oatmeal to insure that the eggs fall through the screen to the second drawer?

I see nothing in my second drawer. (It's only been a few days.) I don't see tiny worms in my top drawer yet either, but there are plenty of beetles in there. At what point do I need to start adding something to the second drawer to insure there is moisture in there for the tiny wormies. With my old eyes, I'm not sure I will see them in there right away.

 

[mychookschick]

This is the craziest thread I've found so far lol!
I had no clue ppl raised bugs for their birds... awesome!
So, my question is, is it worth doing if your flock free ranges in a forest?
(Am I actually looking to justify raising insects lol?!)

I raise mine to feed out in the winter when there are NO bugs. I don't know about where you live, but here, it gets waaayyyy too cold for bugs to live, so I am planning to feed them in the winter in limited amount for extra protein...

ETA: I free range in the woods too. SO this is still a great plan!! Good luck!!

 

[hannakat]

This is the craziest thread I've found so far lol!
I had no clue ppl raised bugs for their birds... awesome!
So, my question is, is it worth doing if your flock free ranges in a forest?
(Am I actually looking to justify raising insects lol?!)

Honest answer?? No. My flock free ranges and I only raise the worms for winter consumption because I live in Pennsylvania where insects aren't available in the winter. My colonies are now into grow-out mode to produce as many as possible to freeze come fall time in order to have a supply for the winter.

That being said...go for it! It's a fabulous way to get your flock to come when they're called and you've never experience 'chicken love' until you've started feeding the girls mealies!

 

[hannakat]

I can justify ANYTHING if it's something I want to do!

I have questions for you experienced 3-drawer people. I just got mine set up. Yea!

Since there is space along the edge of the top drawer where there is no screen (had to have a place to glue the screen) do you gently shake or stir the oatmeal to insure that the eggs fall through the screen to the second drawer? Nope....they find their way down. Even so, there are always a few worms in the top drawer. I go through it occasionally and scoop them out.

I see nothing in my second drawer. (It's only been a few days.) I don't see tiny worms in my top drawer yet either, but there are plenty of beetles in there. At what point do I need to start adding something to the second drawer to insure there is moisture in there for the tiny wormies. With my old eyes, I'm not sure I will see them in there right away. Patience Grasshopper...they are in there. I wait about 3 weeks before I start placing wee bits of carrot in the second drawer.