Texas

[RUNuts]

Call the nearest Zoo and find out who their supplier is. We used to get supersacks of freeze dried bugs when I was a zookeeper in Florida.

This is truly horrifying. Reminds me of Oogie Boogie in Nightmare before Christmas.

Buy in bulk, it's cheaper! Last thing I want is a supersak of cockroaches.

I'm sure the hens would disagree. So let's not tell them.

 

[Derangedplanet]

You c

This is truly horrifying. Reminds me of Oogie Boogie in Nightmare before Christmas.

Buy in bulk, it's cheaper! Last thing I want is a supersak of cockroaches.

I'm sure the hens would disagree. So let's not tell them.

You could try like me and have a tote full of living roaches but also, don't tell the chickens.

 

[RUNuts]

You c

You could try like me and have a tote full of living roaches but also, don't tell the chickens.

Wife bought a box of crickets. Tried to breed them but the smell. Eww, that smell.

The chickens got those.

 

[oldhen2345]

Wife bought a box of crickets. Tried to breed them but the smell. Eww, that smell.

The chickens got those.

bought a large box of live crickets for the chickens. When it arrived, the box was messed up and empty. LOL I hate to think of where all those crickets are.

 

[Derangedplanet]

Wife bought a box of crickets. Tried to breed them but the smell. Eww, that smell.

The chickens got those.

Crickets are wayyyyyy worse than roaches surprisingly. Also dubia breeding can be real satisfying and stupidly easily. And they don't smell. You should look into it.

 

[Tankueray]

Wife bought a box of crickets. Tried to breed them but the smell. Eww, that smell.

The chickens got those.

Oh yeah, I definitely do not miss the smell of crickets. There's a good chance that the Zoo or local pet stores will know a few reptile/amphibian enthusiasts you could contact to find out about buying insects that they breed.

I have one of those tumbler style composters, and I find that black soldier fly larvae fall out almost every time I turn it. Once my birds get older, they are going to be cheering me on like I'm turning the wheel on The Price is Right every time I walk near the thing. I'll even bet that eventually the chickens get together on top of it to try to turn it themselves. Then the ducks will run out and steal the worms and I'll have a ballroom dance style melee on my hands. Yes, it will be YouTubed.

 

[NickyPick]

So a 10lb bag of bugs is actually pretty huge. And that's the main issue. Is that volume and weight are very inequivalent in bugs. However once bugs are freeze dried there wait is almost pure protein and chitin. So even just adding half a lb to 50lb feed would make a pretty big bump. That being said I think most animal feeds would be more cost effective. They used less raw proteins. Raw proteins are pricey.

Got it. So, I wouldn't use a 1:1 ratio if I was adding bug meal. I'd definitely have to go back to my original calculations and see what's what. It's been so long, though, I think my math brain has calcified. <g>

 

[Derangedplanet]

Got it. So, I wouldn't use a 1:1 ratio if I was adding bug meal. I'd definitely have to go back to my original calculations and see what's what. It's been so long, though, I think my math brain has calcified. <g>

Would heavily reccomend laying off the oyster shell then

 

[NickyPick]

Would heavily reccomend laying off the oyster shell then

Pbbbbllltttt.

 

[Derangedplanet]

Anyone else doing the easter hatch a long? My girl is being stubborn. I told her I wanted 5 or 6 eggs but I think I'll be lucky to get 3 or 4. 3 eggs for an easter hatch? Piddles