Mealworms

[steveandval]

We are new to the land of chicken loving, we had chickens years ago but are going to do it again! Wondering how many of you actually grow your own mealworms? and what tips, suggestions, etc you might be willing to share. We get our babies next wednesday, brooder is ready!! woot!! woot! and we are very excited. Just checking all our different options etc.
Thanks so much for your time and I love this site

 

[Judy]

Using the blue search button at the top, selecting Feeding and Watering your Flock, and selecting topic only, I got 3 pages of threads:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/search.php?search_id=368042346

There is a wealth of information already on this site.

 

[jennh]

Quote:
Hi! I raise mealworms. Here is my article:

Hi ! I have posted this twice. Hope this helps. Make sure you use apples, not potatoes, and chick mash, not bran. Cooler temps WILL keep them from changing so fast. That's why they keep the mealworms in the fridge, so they turn so fast.

Start with a clear plastic container, about 2 ft x 1 ft, or thereabouts. Doesn't need to be exact. Cut a hole in the lid, longer than wide, about 1 ft long x 6 in. wide, you get the idea. The purpose of the hole is to let air flow in and out. Next cover the hole with screening material, not landscape fabric. Tape it to the underside of the lid with duct tape. If you don't tape it from the underside, the mealworms and bugs can get in underneath the screen, between the lid, get caught, and die.
Now, put about 3 " of chicken scratch in the bottom, place a half of a cut apple, cut side up, and cover with 4 layers of paper bags. That's it! If you have lot's of mealworms, you might want to use the whole apple. Check the apple occasionally to make sure it doesn't rot. If it does, replace with a fresh apple. I have used potates before, as some suggest, but the apple works MUCH better. I have also put in slices of stale bread.
Now, in case you don't know very much about mealworms, they go through three stages. I'm not sure which stage comes first, kinda like the egg or the chicken ;o) There is a black bug stage (hence the lid. You don't want them crawling out.) Then there is a stage where they look kinda like a larvae. The mealworms crawl between the paper bags and turn into this. Then the larvae turns into the black bugs, then the bugs lay eggs, then mealworms, etc. It's a cycle.
I suggest you don't use your mealworms for a while, so they can go through their cycle to replenish themselves.
I just keep mine in my basement. The coolness keeps them from changing so fast, but you might want to keep them warmer to start out, so they multiply faster.
I have 2 "farms" going. They go through them fast!

Good luck!
Jen

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Quote:
First of all,

You can find instructions for how I raise mealworms in the link in my sig. line. Good luck with your impending chicks!

 

[key west chick]

heres mine.

 

[msbee]

Key west chick, can you explain your set up? What do you have in each drawer?

 

[key west chick]

I keep worms in one drawer, beetles in another, and pupae in the other. I use mainly chick starter or layer crumbles for the bottom. Just kinda whatever I have at the time. As the worms start to pupate, I grab out maybe 40 or so pupae and put them in a drawer. The rest of the worms I either put in the refrigerator to slow their growth or start giving them to the chickens. I leave the pupae alone until they hatch into beetles. This is my nest generation of beetles. The older beetles now get fed to the chickens. In the drawer the older beetles were in, should be eggs and small growing mealworms. When these worms get large enough and start to pupate, the cycle starts all over. I just kinda rotate out the drawers, cleaning them and adding fresh bedding as each drawer becomes empty.

 

[BellevueOmlet]

I am starting meal worms this weekend. I wasn't planning on it but it sounds great. Thanks!