Raise Mice for Feed

[jessifl]

I have tried mealworms with no real success. Also I have tried raised fish. I am great at birds, hogs, horses and sheep but somehow fish and worms are hard for me.

 

[cppeace]

You'd be better off raising them and selling for reptile food.

 

[jessifl]

I would not raise wild mice b/c of the issue of disease. They carry a lot of diseases, not to mention them being a host for the red mite that can cause so much trouble in a coop.

very true. In my mind I feel like field mice are pretty clean but I guess there is always risk

 

[gallo pinto]

I have tried mealworms with no real success. Also I have tried raised fish. I am great at birds, hogs, horses and sheep but somehow fish and worms are hard for me.

Have you tried earthworms? Depending on your food scrap situation they can be pretty easy, just mix with some dirt and leaves and cardboard in a bin and they'll multiply with a steady supply of food.

 

[Aerliss]

Second the worm suggestion. They really take care of themselves and they'll make good compost out of your coop rakings, food scraps, even waste cardboard. The only thing you don't want to give them is meat and dairy. They're not so good at composting that.

One of my compost piles is literally just rabbit litter (excreta, uneaten hay, wood or paper bedding). It just sits in a corner, uncovered, mostly shaded. I turned it a few days ago and it is just CRAWLING with gribbles. Mostly worms, but a load of woodlice too, and some funky grubs I couldn't even begin to ID.

In a more tailored environment, a proper worm bin, or even just a big wheelie bin, and a strong starter colony, they really will take care of themselves. You can get compost thermometers to make sure the bin doesn't get too cold in winter. It'll produce its own heat, but might not be enough to combat very cold temps outside. Or if you have a basement, outbuilding or such they'll do fine in there. One of my bins produces so much heat at times I worry it's going to combust.

 

[jessifl]

Maybe I will try the plain ole earthworms. I already compost so it wouldn't be too much to add another pile. Can't be in normal compost because that's with the chickens so they would destroy my starter colony.
I tried the white worms but idk... Ya'll talk me into it now. thanks