# starting some meal worm colonies



## realsis (Jan 13, 2013)

I know this probably sounds crazy even gross to some of you but I'm starting to grow my own mealworms for my birds. They absolutely love meal worms and its a great high protein treat. They can get expensive up to 5 dollars for a can of 50 where I live.So I'm starting to grow them myself! So far I have about 500. Its pretty easy really. I have two plastic bins one for Beatles one for worms. Do you all think I'm Crazy or you think its a good idea.


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## kahiltna_flock (Sep 20, 2012)

I just started some too. I kinda forgot about them till the other day, they seem fine though. It is gross, I think, but they are just too expensive.


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## InnKeeper (Feb 17, 2013)

I'm just curious as to how it works.....do the chickens eat the beetles too? 
I don't think it's crazy at all. Just thinking about it makes me want to do a eww eww eww dance though!! I'm not so sure I could mess with them myself.


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## realsis (Jan 13, 2013)

I'm not going to give the Beatle to them.only keeping them for eggs. They die' after giving eggs. Then the eggs turn into the worms an the cycle starts again. I'm raising mine in plain bran. Then for moisture you can put a piece of veggie inside like potato slice or carrot or banana peel. Make sure the fruit doesn't get meldew. Its pretty easy . the birds just love them. Its great for bonding with the birds! Also good for them too!


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## freddao (Apr 1, 2013)

I have my own little colony as well. If you keep them in an open plastic container the beetles can't crawl out. 
The beetles lay eggs, which turn into mealworms, which turn into pupae, which hatch into beetles..... You get the picture.

We don't "sort" ours. We pick the worms out and throw them to the chickens. As the beetles die we pick them out and feed them to the chickens too. No maintenance other than throwing a potato or apple slice into the container once a week for moisture.


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## Jim (Sep 26, 2012)

I started 4 bins in the fall, looking forward to using them on a regular basis, and the wife is looking forward to them moving back out to the shed....

I used oatmeal, and I have to say, wish I could have found bran, sorting them is a bit of a hassle!


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## WeeLittleChicken (Aug 31, 2012)

I've raised crickets in the past and was wondering how hard mealworms were.... my chickens are absolutely mental for them. I was also considering a hissing roach colony since I live in an area where they'd freeze and die if they escaped - at least by the time winter came around. I don't know if I feel like spending a dollar on one bug just to see if the chickens even like them...


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## realsis (Jan 13, 2013)

Yes I use bran to raise my worms in.


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## InnKeeper (Feb 17, 2013)

Where did you find bran? Do you just buy it in a bag?

Still don't know if I can deal with a tub of creepy crawly beetles and worms, but it's got my curiosity up. I'm not even sure my chickens would eat them. They're so picky lately!! Won't even eat earthworms now. They'll spy them in the yard, go running to get it, pick it up, toss it aside, and wipe off their beaks as if they got slimed. This repeats over and over....... Goofy pullets!


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## ReTIRED (Mar 28, 2013)

InnKeeper said:


> Where did you find bran? Do you just buy it in a bag?
> 
> Still don't know if I can deal with a tub of creepy crawly beetles and worms, but it's got my curiosity up. I'm not even sure my chickens would eat them. They're so picky lately!! Won't even eat earthworms now. They'll spy them in the yard, go running to get it, pick it up, toss it aside, and wipe off their beaks as if they got slimed. This repeats over and over....... Goofy pullets!


*QUIT FEEDING *your Chickens "Chocolate-Frosted Angel-Food Cake".....
and THEN..._soon..._they will eat worms. 

Don't be like Marie Antionette and say: "Let them eat cake !"

WORMS are healthier. (more Protein ! ) 

*Ha-Ha ! 
*-ReTIRED-


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## fodderfeed (Feb 14, 2013)

I just ordered some when I ordered red worms!


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## InnKeeper (Feb 17, 2013)

ReTIRED said:


> QUIT FEEDING your Chickens "Chocolate-Frosted Angel-Food Cake".....
> Ha-Ha !
> -ReTIRED-


Is THAT what I'm doing wrong??!! Sorry girls, bakery's closed.


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## JRaymond (Apr 2, 2013)

I want to start my own as well and when I mentioned it to my husband he looked at me like I was nuts!


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## JRaymond (Apr 2, 2013)

How do I get them started I'm clueless?!?!


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## Jim (Sep 26, 2012)

JRaymond said:


> How do I get them started I'm clueless?!?!


There are lots of YouTube videos on it, easy, worms, medium, food. I used oatmeal, but am going to restart with bran. I bought the worms at petco. Over with the reptiles. Just don't get the super large ones, they don't breed as well.


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## Energyvet (Jul 25, 2012)

Jim I did the same. I use oatmeal and purchased at Petco.  on my second generation now.


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## kahiltna_flock (Sep 20, 2012)

Now my husband inherited a bearded dragon. Now we need more mealworms. He is looking into growing crickets. Anyone tried growing them?


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## Alyssa (Mar 28, 2013)

Yeah they are easy ... adult crickets that you find in the store will lay eggs ANYWHERE. I just used little peat pods like for starting seeds the females will totally lay their eggs in anything really.

The babies though are notoriously hard to keep living just because SO MUCH can overpower them and kill them. Too much heat, too much condensation, inappropriate ways of delivering water (moist foods or sponges are the safest ways), not enough food (they will eat each other), etc. Egg cartons are your friend - gives you a LOT more surface area per tank, and helps to wick away excess humidity or moisture, insulates and provides cover.

Mealworms are MUCH easier, less messy and stinky (crickets do stink especially once they expire) and crickets are wayyyyyyyyy more likely to escape (they WILL escape and you WILL not have an escape-proof setup ever ... because there is always a few of them that manage to escape, so in the house isn't the best place to raise them. Mealworms are realllly easy and give ya more nutritional bang for the buck, IMO.


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## kahiltna_flock (Sep 20, 2012)

Alyssa said:


> Yeah they are easy ... adult crickets that you find in the store will lay eggs ANYWHERE. I just used little peat pods like for starting seeds the females will totally lay their eggs in anything really.
> 
> The babies though are notoriously hard to keep living just because SO MUCH can overpower them and kill them. Too much heat, too much condensation, inappropriate ways of delivering water (moist foods or sponges are the safest ways), not enough food (they will eat each other), etc. Egg cartons are your friend - gives you a LOT more surface area per tank, and helps to wick away excess humidity or moisture, insulates and provides cover.
> 
> Mealworms are MUCH easier, less messy and stinky (crickets do stink especially once they expire) and crickets are wayyyyyyyyy more likely to escape (they WILL escape and you WILL not have an escape-proof setup ever ... because there is always a few of them that manage to escape, so in the house isn't the best place to raise them. Mealworms are realllly easy and give ya more nutritional bang for the buck, IMO.


I already have the mealworms going, just wondering about the crickets. Thanks so much for the info!


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