Mealworm farms

[MelissaTXRn]

Okay! I have been doing crazy research on starting my own mealworm farm. Not sure I can do it. I start itching just thinking about it. My girls LOVE those worms though. So, should I do a 3 drawer system or can I just put them all in 1 container with no separating and such? Thanks

 

[Pyxis]

I breed them for my gecko and the chickens, and it's MUCH easier to do a drawer system, especially when it comes time to clean the substrate out. You can't clean out the substrate if you think there's eggs, because then you're tossing the eggs. So the easiest way is to have the three drawer system, one drawer for mealworms, one for the pupae and beetles, and one that's for substrate from the previous beetle/pupae drawer where the eggs will hatch.

 

[MelissaTXRn]

awesome! thank you Pyxis

 

[Ohgrr]

I watched this video and liked the way he did things. He kind of reminds me of me, lol. Anyway, it might help!

 

[MelissaTXRn]

Well, since I live in Texas, it is 98-104, already HOT! We keep our house too cold for mealworms and its too hot outside, I guess I will be buying them. I am not liking the idea of worms in our house anyway and my husband said HECK NO!!!!!!! Lol

 

[MelissaTXRn]

Ohgrr,
Thanks for the link

 

[Ohgrr]

You are welcome. I have considered doing it but right now I am stretched thin as it is. I decided this year would be great to sell my city home and restore a half acre of farmland AND start an heirloom nursery. I'm as busy as I am broke but I am enjoying the crazy amount of work!

 

[MelissaTXRn]

I am going to do the one bin method. I have enough animals to spoil rotten, hence the worm farm! I am not into sorting beetles and worms, etc. The guy in that link said he bought 100 worms 12 years ago and he still had TONS of worms. I bought a container for $4, oats for $2 and will get worms next. I have potatoes and carrots from the garden. Hopefully, they will thrive bc my chicks love them.

 

[Ohgrr]

I'm really curious how well it works. I'd love to have fresh worms for the girls.

 

[KristinLLB]

I just keep mine in a Tupperware container with a screen glued into the lid (which has a hole cut out). I put wheat bran in for food and either celery leaves or thin slices of veg for water. I'm sure there are way more productive / efficient / high-worm-producing ways to do it, but this is easy for me. The girls get a scoop of worms a couple times a week and that's plenty.