Raising feeder insects

[CluckyJay]

Egg sack.

 

[Kassaundra]

Quote:
Cool, I wondered if that is what it was.

 

[hannakat]

That's so cool!

You got me researching again, Kassandra!!!

On one site I read that they will stick the sack out from time to time to let it dry out and then on another site .... this is what they said.

"Males produce a sperm packet in a hard enclosed case that they place in the body of the female. After they have mated and the female has the sperm pack, all other males are rejected. Within a few weeks, an egg case is produced that she will drop in a safe spot where it will continue to develop and then hatch all by itself. Females typically produce three broods per year if there are adequate food conditions, otherwise, the egg sac will be ejected out of her body before it has time to mature, killing all of the eggs."


And on another site......

LifecycleMating occurs when the male deposits a sperm packet in the female. This sperm packet inhibits the female from further mating.
Females then lay an egg sack, they then pull this sack back into themselves to incubate ovovivoparitally.
Gestation is about one month (28 days).
The babies hatch inside the female. Between 20 and 40 live young, each about 2 mm long, are produced in each clutch.
Babies mature in about 4–6 months depending on temperature and food supply.
Adults live 1–2 years.

still hoping for a supply of someones overstock of males!!!

 

[Kassaundra]

I think the second site is more correct b/c they bear live young.

 

[Kassaundra]

I didn't think I would ever find a food they like better then oranges, but I think banana's give oranges a run for number one favorite dubia food.

 

[Kassaundra]

Experimenting w boiled chicken eggs for protien instead of cat food. Put two eggs in today, so far they haven't gone over very well, but I'm going to give it a little more time. But the bananas were, and continue to be an amazing hit, even better then oranges!!!

 

[Kassaundra]

Just got a non working chest freezer given to me. I'm working on plans to convert it into a huge dubia home, b/c my chickens think there is no such thing as enough dubia's!

 

[hannakat]

Whoa girl!

Raising dubia roaches in a freezer.... sounds like a good idea. You do know that we'll need photos!

Easy to clean.
Easy to maintain temp.
Easy to hide ?!?!?

Do you think you'll divide it for easier feeding? Like picking out the males early and putting them in the "to become food" side?

I'm still searching for someone to occasionally give me a few.

 

[Kassaundra]

Quote:
I've got several ideas for ways to make it easier to raise / harvest them. I also am trying to figure out easy way to ventilate w/o risking ants, and to keep the temps high enough in the garage in the winter. I just got the freezer and have made no modifications yet, but as I do I will post pics.

I'm feeding out about 50 per day and my colony is stable right now (or at least seems to be) but I would really like to get to 300 or more a day. Right now I have 2 flocks of 10 chickens each I would like to increase those 2 to 15 each and start another flock of chickens for meat (not cornish x but a large fowl to caponize) of around 25 of various ages (sort of like a continous harvest idea) where I don't have to freeze 20 chickens at at time. This is all counting on me getting enough courage up to actually "do the deed"

I also would like enough to sell a few, but don't intend to sell any until I have enough for my girls to eat first.

This is my first "salvo shot" across the freezer in becoming "The Crazy Bug Lady of Henryetta" (maybe even all of Oklahoma!!!!)

 

[old*cowboy]

You may have covered this but figured I would ask and save searching. Do you provide these just for treats, or do you use them as primary protein/feed source for the birds.