Mealworms

[katiebrock]

Hello everyone! I am raising mealworms for my ducks, and I had to share my excitement that several have entered the pupa stage and I have seen one or two beetles! Do any of you raise mealworms for your ducks, and do you have any tips? I have seen a few dead ones, shriveled up and black, but I am assuming this is just part of the process and not every single one will make it. I have read that you can just leave the dead ones in there and they will eventually get eaten. I am just using one container and don’t plan on separating the adults from the larvae.

 

[Jpat]

Hello everyone! I am raising mealworms for my ducks, and I had to share my excitement that several have entered the pupa stage and I have seen one or two beetles! Do any of you raise mealworms for your ducks, and do you have any tips? I have seen a few dead ones, shriveled up and black, but I am assuming this is just part of the process and not every single one will make it. I have read that you can just leave the dead ones in there and they will eventually get eaten. I am just using one container and don’t plan on separating the adults from the larvae.

Thats pretty cool!

ive seen people make maggot buckets for chickens but never meal worms!

ide like to see how it works and how you get meal worms to grow, Do you buy mealworm eggs? or live mealworms?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I farm mealies, but dont have ducks.....the first "it's really working" pupa/beetles are definitely exciting! Heres to many (many) more to come....
Losses do come, but should be relatively few and far between. IME insufficient hydration is a primary cause. What are you using for hydration source? Colony style (one container) can work, but does increase the issue of potential cannibalism if you let food/hydration get out of balance....less wiggle room than separate stages as pupa are a prime target when resources get low.
For just your flock colony will likely be fine.....but I did find separate stages ( not just worm, beetle, pupa but also size of worm) allows for better return in numbers and development/size

 

[katiebrock]

Thats pretty cool!

ive seen people make maggot buckets for chickens but never meal worms!

ide like to see how it works and how you get meal worms to grow, Do you buy mealworm eggs? or live mealworms?

I ordered 1000 mealworms from Worm Man, and I am trying to resist the urge to give them to my ducks while I wait for them to reproduce at least once! They are actually the larval form of the darkling beetle. If you Google a picture of the darkling beetle you will probably realize that you see them everywhere!

 

[katiebrock]

I farm mealies, but dont have ducks.....the first "it's really working" pupa/beetles are definitely exciting! Heres to many (many) more to come....
Losses do come, but should be relatively few and far between. IME insufficient hydration is a primary cause. What are you using for hydration source? Colony style (one container) can work, but does increase the issue of potential cannibalism if you let food/hydration get out of balance....less wiggle room than separate stages as pupa are a prime target when resources get low.
For just your flock colony will likely be fine.....but I did find separate stages ( not just worm, beetle, pupa but also size of worm) allows for better return in numbers and development/size

I have been putting the leftovers of any veggies I chop up to cook or the stems of kale that I give my ducks. I guess using fruits like apples would provide more moisture than that?

 

[kyle476]

if they become to crowed they will cannibalize