Easy instructions, easy set-up, easy maintenance ... and super-easy on the wallet! Harvesting is easy, too. Just pick up a scoop with a dollar-store kitchen sieve and shake it gently. Smaller worms and eggs fall through. Live beetles crawl over the edge, leaving the dead ones in the basket as extra chicken-treats. If you want to keep the pupae, just flick them out with a finger-tip - and if you pick your scoop carefully, you may not even have to do that!.
I'm glad you liked it.
I never thought of doing that. I just used a old jar and my hands. I pick out the worms, put them in the jar, then feed them to the chickens.
Rest assured there are plenty of dead beetles in mine. The worms will eat those as well.
Nice article. The pictures really helped. I am not sure what the egg carton is for. Looks like you put carrots in there. But in the text it sounded like you put the carrots in the corners of the tank. What am I missing?
It would be great to add in one more piece about how you separate out the worms to feed the chickens (if you do separate them).
Thanks for writing this.
The egg carton is for them to hide under and crawl on.
I don't separate them. I just reach my hand in and grab the unsuspecting worm from the tank. They hide under the egg carton which makes it easier to find them. Not sorting them allows for them to be low maintenance. So long as they are well fed they won't eat each other.
Very informative. Thanks for writing this @notabitail!
I'm going to start a mealworm farm for my chooks.
I have a tank, and the drawer. I've not started the farm yet.
I might try both.
Thanks!!
Thank you and you're welcome! Try the tank first. I have found it to work the best. If you do the drawers make certain that there is plenty of ventilation. Have fun!
Solid article, good pictures of the stages of development. I'm planning to start a mealworm farm. I don't have access to a place to order them from, but I suspect theres a whole bunch in my compost pile where I could harvest them.
Well written article. Love the photos, and the link to the other article on raising meal worms. I think anyone could follow this article and successfully raise them.