Worm Farming, mushrooms, mealy worms

[whtdragn]

Went to an organic farming class over the last week. They discussed vermiculture and the lady from the extension office gave out starter sets for worms. She had a tote that was around 5 years old.

 

[MoonShadows]

We've been raising meal worms since last Spring...not a big farm...just a 5 gallon aquarium. They are extremely easy to keep. They do slow down their reproduction in the winter unless you keep them warmer than normal house temps. If you want to feed them to your chickens on a regular basis, you will need more than a 5 gallon aquarium container. I only cull them for the chickens about once or twice a week when they are producing at top speed.

 

[joan1708]

I saw in a you tube video where you put a pan of water under a porch light to caught june bugs. I've been getting 5-6 a night for my girls and its only April.

 

[RichnSteph]

I saw in a you tube video where you put a pan of water under a porch light to caught june bugs. I've been getting 5-6 a night for my girls and its only April.

Do you feed the bugs to the chickens or are you planning on raising June bug grubs?

 

[joan1708]

I don't raise them, I just scoop them up and feed them to the chickens every morning.

 

[DurhamDuck]

Mealworms are simple. Here's what you do.

Buy some "old-fashioned" oats (the kind you cook and eat for breakfast) and pour it in a plastic container. Stick the meal worms inside. Then cut a potato into thin slices and stick it all over the surface of the oatmeal. The worms will eat this, turn into beetles, mate and lay eggs. Between worm and beetle are many stages including a cocoon.

The potato will turn blue/gray but that's okay. Just keep it dry. Then tear a piece of paper towel and dampen it, and stick it into the plastic container. The mealworms will drink this and eat the potatoes, and also gradually eat the oats as they dig through it. There will be dead bugs and skin in there, but it's okay, they'll eat those too- it's good for them. If you want them to have extra protein, thoroughly wash and crush egg shells.

No meat, no citrus, tomato, other acids. No avocado. They like bananas, leafy greens. I tried feeding them grass but they wouldn't touch it and it just turned moldy, so I had to take it out. The only thing that can really kill these guys is mold/fungus, so keep it dry.