Worm bin coming along

I started a small boot box worm bin a while back and it is not doing too bad. All of the worms were caught outside so they are all native ones and I found cocoons today so the population should be exploding here shortly. I guess it is a good thing I have 2 larger bins set up and ready for the next stage of raising the worms.

What I did:
One clear plastic boot box, 1/8 inch holes in the bottom set inside another box for any drainage. Lid has 3 large holes drilled in it covered with cloth to keep out other bugs. Bedding is newspaper and cardboard shredded with a handful of sawdust mixed in. Food is pureed carrots, lettuce and broccoli fed once to twice a week depending on how fast they eat it. Gonna go and get a bunchiof hopefully free scraps today or tomorrow so I have a lot of it when the cocoons hatch and the population starts to explode on me.

Granted they are small worms but if this keeps up I should have a lot of bait for pan fish by summer and it all cost me about $5 to set the whole thing up. Can't beat free fishing bait. Will post a pic as soon as I find my camera.

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l2...rmbinpics1.jpg

This is my little bin. It is actually much darker than this with all the cardboard and worm droppings but this gives you and idea. I actually think that strips would work better than my little cross cut stuff but it works fine for now. I tried to take a picture of the cocoons but they are about the size of dill seed and wouldn't show up for me.

If I could figure out how to replicate the magic worm bedding I would shred my stuff like that but I don't think I have the means to shred so small. Maybe a huge food processor?

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l2...ormcocoons.jpg

Terrible picture of the cocoons but better than nothing. I have a LOT of them so I better have my larger bins ready for the babbies if they need more room in a couple weeks.

Very good.Looks like there will be no need to ever go to the baitstore again,for redworms anyway.Let me know when you want some bigguns,I have lots of caccoons for you,figure out the best way to ship them.Good job.Did you name all of them yet?lol.

That is great. It beats buying them any day. Lots of good threads on this forum about raising them.

I still need to get some coconut coir fiber to complete it and to help it stay loose and airy but it is still coming along rather well. Hoping to get a free handful or two of them today or tomorrow. This will get them going a lot stronger. Still no hatches yet but still hoping they will hatch soon and get the population way up.

Just got through feeding my worms........I stirred and loosened the bedding material on the red worms.......lots and lots of new worms ( all differen't sizes), also seeing lots of eggs. My meal worms are doing well also, lots of mealworms now all different sizes coming along.....lots of new cocoons and beetle bugs. Looks like I am going to have a bumper crop as they have been raising all winter. Come spring I will maske a sale to the local bait shops and still have plenty of worms left to fish with and raise. I can take my extra worm money to BPS and buy some new goodies.

That is neat you guys raise your own worms. When I was a kid my Dad raised red worms for our fishing.

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Originally Posted by G-3 Fisherman

Just got through feeding my worms........I stirred and loosened the bedding material on the red worms.......lots and lots of new worms ( all differen't sizes), also seeing lots of eggs. My meal worms are doing well also, lots of mealworms now all different sizes coming along.....lots of new cocoons and beetle bugs. Looks like I am going to have a bumper crop as they have been raising all winter. Come spring I will maske a sale to the local bait shops and still have plenty of worms left to fish with and raise. I can take my extra worm money to BPS and buy some new goodies.

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Sounds like a great plan. Mine are ready for some great late Jan bream fishin.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by G-3 Fisherman

Just got through feeding my worms........I stirred and loosened the bedding material on the red worms.......lots and lots of new worms ( all differen't sizes), also seeing lots of eggs. My meal worms are doing well also, lots of mealworms now all different sizes coming along.....lots of new cocoons and beetle bugs. Looks like I am going to have a bumper crop as they have been raising all winter. Come spring I will maske a sale to the local bait shops and still have plenty of worms left to fish with and raise. I can take my extra worm money to BPS and buy some new goodies.

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Those beetle bugs make great catfish bait if you ever target the cats!