NY chicken lover!!!!

[JayinCohoes]

Some people say that buckeyes do better on higher protein. This is why I raise mealworms as well. Happy hatching!!!!!(in more ways that one)!!!

Hi VM,

I'd love to know your set-up for raising mealworms. I raise red winglet worms in my basement but it would be great to have mealworms as well. Any info would be appreciated especially since mealworms seem to be getting more and more expensive.

Cheers,
Jay

 

[rancher hicks]

Agreed! All systems are different as are the chicks. They are actually due tomorrow...day 21. 2 pipped just this morning, the others are rockin' and rollin'. I let mine go up to 25...as a just in case. I've had them hatch at day 24. What kind of chicks are you expectng?

I'm hoping for live ones

Birchen Maran, a couple of CR's , some DELs and an orp or two.

Saw some tracks out near the outback coop. Looks to be deer though. Must of come over to have a look at the Deer Target/lawn ornament I have back there.

I found a target with a hole through middle in the woods and too four sticks and put the head back on and made a lawn ornament out of it.

Anyhow it appears the deer came to have a look at the coop, which has a light on in it 24/7. The light can be seen throught the clear plastic cover.

 

[Lynzi777]

While everyone waits for their chicks to hatch I wanted to share some pics of my christmas chicks while I had them inside today. They're getting so fluffy and cute!

 

[ChickPrincess]

Hi VM,

I'd love to know your set-up for raising mealworms. I raise red winglet worms in my basement but it would be great to have mealworms as well. Any info would be appreciated especially since mealworms seem to be getting more and more expensive.

Cheers,
Jay

I can pipe in on this one. I raised mealworms when I bred leopard geckos. First of all, expect at least a couple months before you can "harvest" any mealworms, so that you can get your colony established.
You can make your set up as elaborate or as simple as you want. I used to separate worms from beetles, and then also separate baby worms from larger worms. I would have as many as 5 bins going at once. I used the plastic drawer systems from Walmart.
A great substrate to use is cornmeal. Cheap, and you can mix it with oatmeal and other grain-type (dry) foods. Shop the bulk food section for ides.
I always used bagged baby carrots as my ONLY moisture. Some people suggest potato slices but I found it too easy to harbor mold. I did try fresh carrots, but for some reason the bagged baby carrots were the only thing that did not grow mold. Mold will kill your colony!
Start your first drawer with cornmeal, some oatmeal, a couple baby carrots and as many mealworms as you like. I'd suggest several hundred. You can buy them in most any pet store. Steer clear from "superworms". They are similar but much, much larger and are harder to breed. You can buy the regular mealworms, or ones listed as "giant". They should only be an inch or so long.
Add the mealworms and place in a warm, DRY area. You do not want high humidity. Normal room humidity is perfect. FYI- mealworms seem to breed better the warmer they are, but I had more than enough at 70'.
Over the next few weeks, check to be sure they still have edible carrots. You can leave the old ones in there, but if you do pull out the old ones, be aware that some worms may be inside the carrots. 4 or 5 baby carrots in a bin is plenty.
They will soon morph into little "aliens" and then into beetles. You may pull out the "aliens" and at this point place in a different bin (here's where the different bins come into play). Worms and beetles will feed on the aliens (called pupates, if I'm remembering correctly) because they are helpless at this point.
Once they become beetles, raise them the same as you do the worms, with dry substrate, oatmeal, etc and baby carrots for moisture.
Once they become beetles, they will start to mate and lay eggs. The eggs are very tiny and you can't see them, but they will be mixed in with the cornmeal. Once every couple months you can move all the beetles to a fresh bin and leave the egg loaded cornmeal behind to hatch the worms. It will become an on-going process, and you'll get your own system down. You can do it all in one bin if you choose, but I found it easier to keep several bins going.
Eventually, there will be so many worms that it will look like a wave when you run a spoon through it. Just keep the colony going and pull out the ones you feed to the chickens. It is VERY easy to raise them.
I also suggest covering the bins with screening. You may get those little moths that feed on cereals and pastas. Once you get them they are a pain to get rid of. Don't let a bin get too old and dirty because it will smell. They do not smell as long as you keep up on them.
Good luck! HTH!

 

[JayinCohoes]

I can pipe in on this one. I raised mealworms when I bred leopard geckos. First of all, expect at least a couple months before you can "harvest" any mealworms, so that you can get your colony established.
You can make your set up as elaborate or as simple as you want. I used to separate worms from beetles, and then also separate baby worms from larger worms. I would have as many as 5 bins going at once. I used the plastic drawer systems from Walmart.
A great substrate to use is cornmeal. Cheap, and you can mix it with oatmeal and other grain-type (dry) foods. Shop the bulk food section for ides.
I always used bagged baby carrots as my ONLY moisture. Some people suggest potato slices but I found it too easy to harbor mold. I did try fresh carrots, but for some reason the bagged baby carrots were the only thing that did not grow mold. Mold will kill your colony!
Start your first drawer with cornmeal, some oatmeal, a couple baby carrots and as many mealworms as you like. I'd suggest several hundred. You can buy them in most any pet store. Steer clear from "superworms". They are similar but much, much larger and are harder to breed. You can buy the regular mealworms, or ones listed as "giant". They should only be an inch or so long.
Add the mealworms and place in a warm, DRY area. You do not want high humidity. Normal room humidity is perfect. FYI- mealworms seem to breed better the warmer they are, but I had more than enough at 70'.
Over the next few weeks, check to be sure they still have edible carrots. You can leave the old ones in there, but if you do pull out the old ones, be aware that some worms may be inside the carrots. 4 or 5 baby carrots in a bin is plenty.
They will soon morph into little "aliens" and then into beetles. You may pull out the "aliens" and at this point place in a different bin (here's where the different bins come into play). Worms and beetles will feed on the aliens (called pupates, if I'm remembering correctly) because they are helpless at this point.
Once they become beetles, raise them the same as you do the worms, with dry substrate, oatmeal, etc and baby carrots for moisture.
Once they become beetles, they will start to mate and lay eggs. The eggs are very tiny and you can't see them, but they will be mixed in with the cornmeal. Once every couple months you can move all the beetles to a fresh bin and leave the egg loaded cornmeal behind to hatch the worms. It will become an on-going process, and you'll get your own system down. You can do it all in one bin if you choose, but I found it easier to keep several bins going.
Eventually, there will be so many worms that it will look like a wave when you run a spoon through it. Just keep the colony going and pull out the ones you feed to the chickens. It is VERY easy to raise them.
I also suggest covering the bins with screening. You may get those little moths that feed on cereals and pastas. Once you get them they are a pain to get rid of. Don't let a bin get too old and dirty because it will smell. They do not smell as long as you keep up on them.
Good luck! HTH!

Thank you so much. I just spent some time watching some youtube videos on raising mealworms. Now I wish I started this project in the summer so I would have mealworms during the winter months. I can't wait to start. Thanks again.

 

[rancher hicks]

While everyone waits for their chicks to hatch I wanted to share some pics of my christmas chicks while I had them inside today. They're getting so fluffy and cute!

What are they?

 

[Lynzi777]

What are they? 

Alien Silkies!

 

[Tough Old Bird]

Ohhhh....! So CUTE, Lynzi

TOB

 

[rancher hicks]

Alien Silkies!

I thought they looked strange.

 

[Lynzi777]

I thought they looked strange.

Their coloring doesn't help much. I have a Blue Roo and 2 white hens. So this was the outcome. LOL