Freeze dried mealworms: How much is too much?

[chickensfinally]

Freeze dried mealworms aren't frozen and then dried.    it's a special process whereby the freezing actually dries the material.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeze-drying.  Probably not practical at home.  You could try just drying them (without freezing) that might work.  Freezing them first may cause water crystals to form that break down cells and cause the brown/black you're seeing as they thaw.  Anybody tried to dry mealworms at home?

Some wonderfully scientific minded person on the mealworm farming thread found that just freezing them and thawing them at a later time, but feeding them quickly after that resulted in appearance/texture of live ones, just no wiggling. Leave them too long after thawing and they did turn black, but I believe the chickens don't care as most on that thread feed the dead black ones that show up in the mealworm farms! Hope that helps, and farming them is really as simple as you want it to be. I've just started myself --Carrie in Des Moines

 

[camjeff]

Hey there! I joined your forum just to reply to this thread and give you a link for drying your own mealies.
Actually, what SoProlix speaks of isn't considered "freeze dried" persay, but is more of dry roasting. Sure, you freeze them first, but not as part of the drying process- You freeze the mealworms first to humanely kill them and then you dry roast them. The recipe is posted online for "drying your own mealworms" at this link: http://www.ehow.com/how_5687804_dry-mealworms.html except you don't use your oven to dry them, you use either an electric or gas grill.
I have used this method and it works wonderfully. They don't smell great when first put on the grill while roasting, but after awhile, it smell kinda like dry roasting chestnuts or peanuts. Give it a try SoProlix and using the cornmeal in the recipe helps keep them from sticking plus helps keep them from turning too dark.
Good Luck!

 

[Marianne Monagle]

So...I scattered some freeze dried mealies around for my chickies tonight. They all ignored them except for my darling little buff, Navidad, who is, unfortunately, stricken with a neurological disorder since hatching. She gobbled one down and jumped straight in the air with a squeal of delight!

It was hilarious!

I'm hoping that the other 3 will catch on to how tasty these crispy critters can be...hopefully Navidad will teach them!

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[Marianne Monagle]

Hi, My little buff orphington developed some neurological disorder too, about age 9-10 weeks if I recall correctly, seemed to be Aspergillus infection, and went to brain, did you do any research, are Buffs more prone to such neuro problems by chance? She is weak, doesn't eat much, light body weight, not preening much, not alert and sleeps too much, slow, head twists, drinks a ton of water, lost her voice but it came back slowly, now at 19 weeks, it seems chronic, and did improve some, have to make her a house pet now, the other hens peck on her and she is literally terrorized and screams and crashes around the run, and gets hurt doing so, then by the one bossy hen I have now (a sweet (to people) New Hampshire who got bossy only as she started to lay eggs). Just wonder if you had this type of neuro issues too? I might just repost this as a new thread too....

 

[Marianne Monagle]

Oh, my what a darling! I love it when the chickens are delighted!

 

[Marianne Monagle]

I am very worried about this too, I want a good healthy protein treat, its cold and they are just starting to lay, but hate the thought of china food that (yuck) might have something bad for my girls and then I eat it in their eggs! Scary I think....!!

 

[Joey Chickens]

Best treats ever. I let them free range in the yard for a few hours a day. Only one way to get them back in the cage for their own protection and safety. Mealworms.