Ok, someone talk to me, please, about worm farming?

[Quail_Antwerp]

I've read here about people going to be putting in worm bins and starting a worm farm??? I'm thinking, oooh free food for my chooks!

And free fish bait for the kiddos to go fishing!!

So please, someone talk to me, how do I get a worm bin started? I'm wondering, can I build it under my rabbit cages and set it up where the rabbit droppings go into the worm bin?

I know worms like coffee grounds, and I can provide a TON of coffee grounds...

So I'm thinking I'd just frame in an area, put a lid on it, and add coffee grounds, manure (trust me, we've plenty of this coming in forms of chicken poo, duck poo, dog poo, rabbit poo, horse apples, cow patties....), and other compost materials but is there anything special that needs to be done?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Lovechooks]

Composting worms like everything! Even dog poo although I put my dogs elsewhere, I can't come to terms with my worms eating dog poo.

Anyway I have taken a pic of my farm I can post tomorrow it's really late here now.

They make lovely worm tea great for the vegies.

You are supposed to use composting worms though not just worm, worms. And I have heard their no good for fishing, but maybe that's not true I can't see what the problem would be.

We just have worms that compost at Bunnings, do you have Bunnings over there? It's a big hardwhere store.

You need to keep them in the shade and quiet damp but don't drown them they can drown!

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Ooooooh so I can't just build up a bin and let earthworms move in on their own??

I would need to purchase some "special" worms??

I would love to see pics of your bins when you have the chance!

 

[keljonma]

Sylvie has a worm bin, I think, and may be able to help with worm supplier questions here in Ohio.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

OH that would be great! Now I hope when I'm able to pop back on this evening, that Sylvie has seen this thread

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Hey QA, I've been dreaming of worms since I spotted an 8" wriggler in my compost heap! the thing looked like a baby snake! Anyways, I found this link when I was researching and thought it might come in handy for you.

http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/compost/Easywormbin.htm

 

[Dace]

I had a very simple worm bin that I made, but when we moved I accidentally let my worms die, because I did not care for them properly!

I took two 5 gallon buckets. Drill holes in thw bottom of one (for liquid drainage) then stack it inside the other. Drill some holes in the top and lid of the upper bucket for ventilation (think small holes so your worms don't come out) and there you have it.

You are supposed to buy worms, I got mine form a nursery but have also seen them at my farmers market, which is where I got the basic idea....the lady there was selling the 'bucket style' farm with worms for $30. I got fee buckets from a local donut shop for $2 and my worms for $15.

The worms come in bedding material and all you do is place damp shredded newspaper on top. Add is food on a regular basis, check moisture levels and add more newspaper as bedding.

Quail, the purpose though is that the worms do some composting for you, not so much that you would raise them for your chickens to eat...although they do reproduce pretty well so I guess that is probably a great idea. They need a fairly balanced diet...too much coffee grounds and the environment will become too acidic and they will try to escape. They eat bunny poo, horse poo (others I am sure) paper, any food scraps (basically a vegan diet, no meat, cheese, grease etc no onion or potato skins, as I recall) they love sweet things like fruit too. Eventually just like bee's you harvest their production of casings...(ok, so bee's make honey, a little different but you get it.) Start them off with some fresh bedding, of poo and newspaper with a little dirt and you are good to go again.

They are super easy but like to be kept in a fairly moderate climate, like a garage or basement....somewhere where the sun won't shone directly on them and they are protected from real cold.

 

[Wifezilla]

so I can't just build up a bin and let earthworms move in on their own??

That's what I did. I made a compost pile. I did not do anything special, but when I turn it there are ALWAYS big fat juicy worms. It is getting tough to turn the pile though. The ducks have learned that pitch fork = snacks. They don't understand that I can't turn the pile if THEY ARE STANDING ON IT!

 

[freemotion]

I'm still doing research and am still a bit confused.....but it seems that how you go about it depends on what your goals are. You can have a bin in a kitchen cupboard for all your food waste and a small amount of very rich compost. You can have larger bins in your cellar for more compost and maybe harvesting more worms for fishing, selling, or to supplement your birds (this is my plan, two large storage totes.)

Or you can get VERY serious and make in-ground worm bins under rabbit hutches (no harvests in cold winter weather, though) or in a greenhouse for major winter harvest: http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Boxwood+Vermicomposting.html

We have almost no food waste here, with all of it going to the animals....goats get most veggie scraps, hens get all meat, bone, and fat scraps. So my dilemma is.....what will I feed my worms? I will bed them with the hay/shavings from the goat's stall, but what will I feed them??? Maybe I can get my fishing neighbors to save veggie scraps in exchange for worms. I think that red wigglers are good for composting and fishing, if I remember my reading correctly.

Most Americans eat very little fresh veggies, though. Hmmmm.....suggestions?

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Oooooooh I didn't realize it was for the worms to compost for you..hmm just learned something...hmmm

I was honestly thinking it would be fun (did I just say that?) to raise earthworms for the sole purpose of having snacks for my chooks...is that not something that is commonly done?