watermelon, ducks and dogs

[grawg]

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Well I feel somewhat guilty doing this, however since BYC is what got my mealworm farm started in the first place... https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=492636

The first dozen or so pages(can't remember how far I read) are a good read. A lot of really helpful information in there.

For me the trickiest part is humidity and mold living in the southeast. If you place the potato or veggie on a piece of cardboard, like an old egg cartoon, instead of the substrate, it really helps.

 

[Darkjeweler]

Or you could start raising Black Soldier Fly Larva.. Very easy to do.. Search the net. There is lots of info out there on the subject.

 

[grawg]

I considered those and cockroaches but I have to be able to balance usefulness with grossness as my DW will only stand so much.

When I first started my indoor worms I fed them too much vegetable matter and the fruit flies started their own colony before the worms could clean it out. Well I noticed the flies breeding but didn't want to scrap the whole bin and start over so I figured the flies would eventually die off... about a week later the kitchen was filled with fruit flies. My DW had no idea where they all came from and I wasn't too inclined to volunteer theories.

 

[LemonDoodles]

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The LAST thing I want to do is invite, much less raise, anything that could become a fly. They are the arch enemy at this home. We have no less than 6 fly swatters here. I watch TV with one in my hand but they only land on things you can't swat. Cups, monitors, mom's head. I digress.

 

[Darkjeweler]

Ok, well in the past I have also raised "Giant Madigascar Hissing Cockroaches".. At the time it was food for a water dragon, but I can see ducks getting a real kick out of eating the hissing little buggers. They are not like standard roaches and can be raised in an 18 gallon tote. They were kinda fun to raise and there is just something about an adult 4" bug that can move a full chick waterer that I found fun. They are not dangerous, do not bite, and do not invade/ take over your house. Again, you can get breeding kits online..

There are many options available out there for alternative buggy goodness for the ducks..

 

[RunnerWhisperer]

Uckk!! Raising any kind of larve or pupa makes me get the willies!! I get seriously grossed out just looking at those things through the packaging in the feed store.

 

[Darkjeweler]

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Yet the duckies just love to crunch on them.. lol... I have over 3 acres cleared which I will eventually be allowing the ducks to roam around while I am out in the yard (we have hawks here).. I have no need to buy anything. I would much prefer that they eat what is already crawling thru the grass. My Guineas are doing a good job, but the more bug eaters the happier I am..