Mealworms... my story. Almost impossible not to raise them!

[Criskin]

Thanks for sharing. That sounds like something even I can do! I used to grab a pack of live mealworms every time I had to ran by the pet shop for something else...they are a great way to make feathered friends...but actually raising them never occurred to me. I'm going to have to try it.

 

[daze333]

HI,
I want to try to raise them too. What bedding do you give them. Just what comes with them? How big of a container do you need. What temp do they need?
Thanks!

 

[ScotH]

Quote:
Gallo del Cielo's page shows the way they do it, looks pretty easy and I have an old 6 gallon aquarium in my shed (You can generally find the small ones being given away or sold dirt cheap at yard sales.)

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=56638-how-to-raise-mealworms

Thanks for the info every one.

 

[daze333]

Quote:
Gallo del Cielo's page shows the way they do it, looks pretty easy and I have an old 6 gallon aquarium in my shed (You can generally find the small ones being given away or sold dirt cheap at yard sales.)

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=56638-how-to-raise-mealworms

Thanks for the info every one.

Thanks!! That is exactly what I was looking for! I am off to get some worms tomorrow!

 

[daze333]

Has anyone tried raising superworms? Are they as easy? Because they are substantially larger!

 

[ScotH]

A video I just watched on youtube, the guy said that you need to separate the superworms from their beetle brethren or they will eat them.

 

[daze333]

Quote:
Oh, sounds like more work. Guess I will stick with the easy mealies!
Thanks!

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

Honestly, the last thing I wanted was another project (as you can imagine I keep pretty busy).

I watched a TON of videos on mealworms when I first got them and there were all kinds of ways to raise them. Sorting, sifting, removing the dead ones, separating out the beetles, etc. etc. etc.

I just read Gallo del Cielo's page for the first time and I love the simplicity... just keep adding food... that's it! Let the "stuff" (dead beetles, poop, etc.) just build up and let nature do its thing.

It may not be the cleanest or most efficient method (and I don't even know if that's true) but if it is that easy I may just give it a go.

 

[Suechick]

I started a mealworm farm about 9 months ago and it is just now getting going well enough so I can feed my chickens a reasonable amount without wiping out the colony. Those of you who want to do this just know that it takes a while, but definitely worth it.

About the roaches, anyone else doing this? The 36% protein and larger size sounds great, but.

roaches!!?? I raise my mealworms on organic grains so I have organic worms

It doesn't look like it would be so easy to do roaches with organics.

 

[JustErin]

I got on here this morning get some treat suggestions for my flock and found this thread. I think we're now going to look into raising some mealworms or roaches. You all rock!