Step by Step Setting Up a New BREEDER BIN Plus How to Increase Breeding in a Regular Bin
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- Опубликовано: 21 июл 2024
- Hello! I’m finally setting up my 4th breeder bin and I bring you along so you can see each and every step I take in this process.
Additionally I share tips and tricks that you can use to increase cocoon production in regular bins too ❤️
Thanks for watching! Please consider liking and subscribing as that really helps me get my content out to more viewers 👍🪱.
Yours in the dirt,
Jayne
#redwigglers #vermicompost #worms #composting #cocoons
All your planting suggestions ticked off my list. I can't wait for summer. Thank you
@@denisewilliams8609 Hi Denise! Welcome! I’m glad to be helpful 😍. Sharing tips and tricks is wonderful. I get so many of them from the videos I watch too! I’m in summer now and it’s NOT the big gardening season as it’s so freaking hot 🥵. I can’t wait for fall 🤣🤩🪱
Thank you Jane, I’ve learned a lot today from you. 😊
@@tonytrafford3891 Hi Tony! I’m so glad to be of help to you 🥰. Thanks for stopping by 👍🪱
Thank you very interesting 😊
Hi.i Always watching Ur video,i use just compost in my Breeder vin and it work very well.❤ Fromage Algeria.
Hello Mustapha! Welcome! Algeria! Very cool 😎. Compost and pre-compost and even prepared bedding are worm friendly substrates. Lots of biota for the worms to eat and to breakdown the bedding for the worms too. I’m glad your breeder bin is working well 👍. Thank you so much for watching 😍🤩🪱
Hi Jayne, from Windermere, Florida 9b 🇺🇸 ❤
I love the Candlelit dinner image 😅
Take care, My Friend
❤Peggy❤
Great video yet again Jane 👍
I'm always impressed by your ability to count the worms and cocoons practically every time, I've never counted my worms even once!😂
Hi Eleanor! How are you doing?
I count my worms every 2-3 cycles as a way to check up on them. I’m eager to stop counting cocoons once I feel I’m getting good results from my breeder bin set up. But of course, I’ll change something and then have to count to see how the change effected results 🙄🤣.
The truth is I’d be counting even if I didn’t have this worm channel. It’s just how I think and do things 😳. I’m glad what I find and share may help others improve their results too! ❤️🪱❤️
Looking good with the manure/compost bedding. Thanks for sharing. Great video. Have a great day.
Hi! I’m really loving this bedding mix. Thanks for stopping by 🪱🪱. Have a great day too 👍
Thanks so much Jane. I found this video so detailed and helpful
Hi Catherine! I’m so glad! I hope you’ll post back on how your worm journey progresses ❤️🪱
Your tabletop compost and manure mixture looks phenomenal as a breeding bedding.
Right on about the irony of getting worms to breed in a breeder bin vs getting them to breed in a bed-run bin.
When I want to get them to breed in a bed-run I will mix the chow in with the bedding very wet and place off to the side burry and mark it. Then in 2-3 weeks that is the place to collect cocoons and hatchlings.
I think when mixing the chow in with the bedding thoroughly for breeder bins what happens is the chow dissolves and melds with the bedding, producing enzymes, microbes and bacteria. Which in return encourages the worms to concentrate on eating the carbon bedding source. Which is also ironic considering with top feeding chow they eat the chow right off the surface.
To me the advantage of using chow over food scraps for breeding is the ability to have more precise control over the moisture of the bedding. Another advantage is if one is inclined to see how much worms really truly eat per day. The bedding can be weighted, the worms can be weighed, before and after the breed and get an accurate account of how much they eat. What I mean by all that is with food scraps they contain water weight which is harder to figure in because of the variability of water in the scraps.
If you are interested in sizing them from cocoons use two of your small shoebox sized bins for hatching. Put a handful (25-35) of cocoons in one shoe box and put three or four handfuls (90-120) in another box with the same amount of bedding. Wait 8-10 weeks then dump them out and notice the one with one handful of cocoons have larger worms and the one with three or four handfuls has more worms but they are smaller. Separate them using the light method weigh them and notice the weight is about the same. The smaller worms if they weigh more is not more than on ounce, usually less than a half ounce difference.
To me the size coming out of the nursery is not so important because at that point (after) they go into the grow out bins for another 8-10 weeks. Or they are doubled up and grown really fast using the same method as breeding to produce pure castings fast, when doing it that way the dense population does not slow down the growth rate and the size stabilizes because they eat the bedding within 10 days and are given new bedding every 14 days. Then when they become adults, it is time to split them for breeding.
The thing about all this stuff is worms are great teachers and can be a lot of fun learning through experimentation.
Enjoy worms and have a great Day!
Hi again! I’m really loving this bedding mix. It’s cheap and easy and most importantly the worms love it too. They eat it right up and churn out the castings ❤️
You’re doing a trench-like feeding but placing it on the side 👍. Location of the concentrated food isn’t important for breeder bins too much.
That’s a cool experiment to run - shoe box comparison of few cocoons vs many more cocoons to see effect on hatch rate and worm size over time. Maybe something for me to test out in the future 😊. I agree with you that for the regular worm keeper it probably doesn’t matter but if someone (me!) is planning on selling, a more uniform worm size might be beneficial. Good idea!
As always, thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences ❤️
I don’t know how the worm chow interacts with the bedding per se but to your point it does. Maybe it’s like eating a bowl of ice cream vs a milkshake. Both are majority the same food material but they hit differently. 🤷♂️. I’ve switched my nursery and grow out bins to the breeder bin bedding so now it’s just…. My bedding mix 😆. I can start sifting much sooner and more often now 👍. I’m still messing around with moisture levels. It’s a particular struggle right now balancing the drying AC vs the massive amounts of rain we’ve been getting and the super high humidity.
I love how you’ve got your system down cold. I’m still trying this and that and the other thing to find what works best for me 😆. I’ll get there eventually!
Thanks for your continued support ❤️🪱
@@RockinWorms I like the ice-cream to milkshake analogy👍👍
Yeah, the high and low humidly levels are something to learn to work with. I don't necessarily think the humidity levels effect worm's production much. What the high and low humid conditions do is have a great effect on how we monitor our bins, it is a great deal to learn how to work with. In time we learn, the important thing to do is enjoy as we do!
@@RockinWorms So, are you planning on eventually selling worms? Are you thinking about selling them in bait cups for fishing? Or are you going to concentrate on supplying worms for vermicomposting?
If for fishing it is almost necessary to grow uniform sized worms. It is a lot of work to grow them in bins/ bed-run and then hand pick them according to size. When growing as fishing worms it is a lot of work also, but so much simpler when worms are all relatively the same size and age in each bin. The nice thing about growing worms to their genetic potential uniformly is that you know how many worms you have on stock at all times. Compared to pulling them out of a bed-run system. With bed-run you know how many worms at set-up, and how many worms are coming out, when they come out. Then when a person thinks it is time to stop pulling worms and repopulate, say with an estimated 3lbs. one may be down to 1lb.or at 6lbs. Either way both methods work.
I think you are off to a great start in learning how to grow worms uniformly.
Hi Jayne, do worms find your pre-compost that you store outside? That would be super charged pre-composting! It's happened to me more than once when I started bedding bins and added a handful of castings to help mature the bedding. Both bins turned into worm bins!
~ Sandra
Hi Sandra! 🤣on the accidental worm bins! That’s awesome.
No it hasn’t happened to me. My outdoor pre-compost is in a huge plastic tote on a table under the solid part of the patio/pool cage roof. It’s technically outside but sorta kinda inside too. I have the deep cardboard shred layered on top of screening to cover the bin - just like the burrito top on the indoor pre-compost bin. That’s kept everything out except a black snake once😳. The ants got into in a small separate bin on the patio floor, uncovered for many hours. Totally different circumstances.
I do see random red wigglers in the wild - in my garden pots. I do not know if they’re from castings added to the pots or they found their way in from nature. Good news either way!
thanks!
Hi Jim! Hope it helped! Thanks for watching ❤️
I can't help but wonder looking at that magnificent new compost/ cow manure worm bedding, how the castings will be much better than the compost going in? I probably think too much sometimes, but it does seem like a lot of work to end up in the same place as compost/castings are concerned. Breeder bins typically have a very shallow depth and inert bedding with food placed/sprinkled on top occasionally. This will make it as easy as possible for the worms to find each other. Compost bins are entirely different. Minerals added to the bedding will only supercharge your castings, the plants will love it.
Hi Vermi Cast! I do add work tea and straight castings to my garden and other trees and plants. The additives to the worm bin, which the worms do consume and process, will be more readily available to the plants and that’s a great thing! Well worth the small effort of adding the amendments into the bin.
I like giving my worms food variety and if it’s free then… it’s for me 😆. Free doesn’t mean no work of course but is it work if I’m enjoying the process? I haven’t had my castings tested and probably won’t any time soon so whether they’re better or the same if I add in manure ir garden additives or don’t, who knows! For right now I’ve got these materials so I may as well use them. They’re not doing anything any good sitting on a shelf that’s for sure 😂.
Excuse my ignorance but what do you mean by grow out bins
@@WileyWormFarm Hi again! All questions are welcome here! We’re all learning together 😊
I posted this link to other of my videos on your breeder bin question but let me link it here too:
Worm Lifecycle in a Bin Management System
ruclips.net/video/FY4zrWSCOiw/видео.html
Briefly, grow out bins have worms of all ages and stages in it. It’s main job is to make castings. It does also provide adults which will populate breeder bins 👍🪱❤️.
Keep asking questions!
Thanks so much for watching and learning along with me 👍🪱❤️
❤Madam, good greetings, ln one of my small farms, l sorteed the worms and cocoons completely using two types of sieeve, with large holes and then with a vey fine sieve, and there, and there were no small worms orcocoons left, and lput the pure compost in a new containeinr, and out criosity lput a small piece of watemelon on the compost After48hours, she she lifted the watermelon peel and was shhocked by a ver large movment on the wall of the watermelon, She came with a magnifier and saw thousands of red worms and very small dragees, l rushed to give her ground oatmeal and eggshells with two types of fruits, Now it is two weeks, The bowl is tull of thousands of worms, l have to cme with more, From 4 farms the 😅 size of the mother farrm to accommodate the number of worms🌹Sorry for the long wait, madam, and try what l discovered, so you will be surprised, My respect, What a beautiful laugh😊🙏💞
Hi. I totally understand what you experienced 👍. We can sift and sort and pick cocoons and wisps all day long and never ever get them all. That is why many wormers ‘finish the castings’ which simply means setting the castings aside with a bait area (cup is commonly used) for several months so any cocoons and wisps have a change to hatch and grow up and make their way to the bait. Watermelon is a wonderful bait!!
The challenge of course is having the time and space to keep castings for an extended period of time before use. If you can do it then it’s great!
I personally generally sift and pick out cocoons and wisps as I can during castings harvest. Any cocoons or wisps that remain in the castings will go out with the castings to the garden or orchard. I simply choose to think of this as a easy way to add worms into the natural environment.
When I was starting out and only had a handful of worms I was much less cavalier about worms leaving my bins 🤣.
Thank you very much for sharing your experience. I am sure it will help other when deciding what to do themselves 🪱🪱❤️.
How long do the cocoons take to become breeder age worms. I am separating the breeder worms out of the breeder bins and leaving all the bedding for the cocoons and giving breeder worms new bedding every 21 days. I want to expand though and was wondering if you have an estimate of the time it takes fresh cocoons to become breeder worms.
Hi! Welcome to the Castings Crew! Great question ❤️👍
The estimates vary from a low of 14 weeks (3-4 months) to 20 weeks (4.5-5 months). Of course individual cocoons can take much longer if conditions aren’t suitable.
To encourage hatching of wisps keep the bedding moist and warm (80F is the norm). Once hatched splitting the bins often, every 3-4 weeks) so young worms have ample room and less food competition aids in maximizing development.
My cocoon bins are generally in a good hatching environment at around 77F and good moisture. Once they hatch and I have lots and lots of wisps, that’s where I have challenges due to space. I simply don’t have the space needed to split bins as often as I should to maximize worm growth. So I have to reconcile myself to my worms taking longer to mature as a group. Some worms mature faster no matter the conditions. And vice vera. But overall my worms will take longer. The good thing is for me - and my future customers - right now if they do take longer to mature that’s a good thing. My worms will be ‘fresher’ and newly matured vs who knows how old. What I’m pointing out is that fast maturing can be good or not so critical or even a negative in some cases. By Linda going a bit deeper into your question I hope to provide a fuller scenario so worm wranglers can make informed choices on how to run their bins. 🤗😎.
Was this a help at all?? 🪱🪱🪱
@@RockinWorms yes thank you. I love your channel too
@@2lainefarm75 Thanks!
Can’t use manure here in uk as I have no idea what’s in it and don’t want to kill them…… I’ve used everything you have suggested except I’m using coco coir as the main bedding material.
How do I know that it’s enough food for them? I was always told when feeding at the beginning- which I am- just with 7 bins lol
I was told to feed a bit and when that’s nearly gone feed a bit more. And that was like every 5-10 days. So I’m unsure how I know it’s enough food for 21 days?
Obviously the more I do it the more I will know that it’s the right amout.
I’ve feed in the beding and mixed it through- with my new 5 bins and the old 3 but as I know the old ones are used to food in the middle of the bucket I’ve put watermelon in the middle as usual for all 8 as I don’t know how the breeder I got them from was feeding them till 5 days ago apx… they been here 3 days.
So feed them both ways and happy to continue doing that. Now obviously I will know with the melon when it’s gone- if I check the bins but won’t know with chow and grit- I usually put a sprinkle in a week as it’s gone in 2 days I’ve noticed
Do you have access to any Facebook groups for small animal keepers? Do some searching and see if you can find a local person that keeps rabbits. Rabbit manure is fantastic in worm bins.
I addressed some of your other questions on your other comment 😊🪱🪱
While your worms have become acclimated to food being in a specific spot (middle of the bin), trust me, they will find any food you put somewhere else. It’s why migration works! For worm chow and grit you can sprinkle on top and lightly scratch it in so you can still sorta see it. Then you’ll see when it’s gone. If the worms are eating it all in 2-3 days then you can start adding in a bit more over time. You actually don’t want enough chow in the bin that it last for the 21 days. You want enough to give them a good calorie boost but after that they should be eating the biota and bedding if you’re basically leaving them alone for the 21 days. OR you can certainly peel back your bin cover and sprinkle in more worm chow every few days when you see the old stuff has been eating. That’s perfectly fine! What you don’t want to do is dig thru the bin causing mass disturbance. Ok? ❤️
@@RockinWorms thanks so much. It is very much appreciated x
How did you dehydrate the cow poop.
Hi Jocelyn! Welcome! The cow manure is sun dried. Once dry all the way thru it can be run thru the sifter. Works a charm! 👍🪱🪱❤️
Can anyone tell me,can you put canned cream corn in your worm bin
Hi Patti! Sure you can! Here’s a few things to think about to make it go better. The creamed corn is probably soupy so you’ll want to have a plan to deal with the excess liquid. You can drain it out and then add back just enough to not over wet the bin. Or you can add in alot of dry carbon to soak up the moisture. You might also want to freeze the decanted corn before adding it to the bin so the cell walls rupture - this makes it easier for the worms and bacteria to starting breaking the relatively tough corn kernel shell down.
Finally I’d suggest placing the corn in a smaller area so that the worms can move away from it if it heats up. This is always a good idea when feeding worms any food.
Does this help? Let me know how it goes! ❤️🪱
Have you ever had an issue with ants being attracted to the worm boxes?
Hi Tamara! No I haven’t. My bins are inside so that slows critters down. I do get occasional very small black beetles - little round guys. A handful only. I catch them and toss them out the front door 😆. I also have had 2 cockroaches be on top of a bin but I think they ended up there due to coming in to escape the extensive rains/flooding. That’s happened before - before I even had worms.
I did get ants into a small bin of table top compost (no worms in it) on the patio. I had offloaded it to give me working room in the bigger bin on the patio and I forgot to cover it up when I left for dinner 😬. Ants were in it the next day, the buggers. I tossed it into the chicken run 😊.
My main bin critters are mites and springtails, pretty standard bin companions.
Have you had ant problems?
@@RockinWorms I’m just starting my ‘worm farm’ mainly for my grandkids. I fed my box before leaving a couple weeks vacation. I came back to find ants in the room with the worms but not ‘with’ the worms. I thought maybe the allure of food.
@@user-yq5dr5ou5u Ugh! If the ants weren’t in the worm bin with the food I’m not sure you should make that direct connection. If they wanted the food wouldn’t they have been in there chowing down?
Maybe next time you need to leave them for an extended period you can use more bedding or add in old leaves or something other than food food. I’m sorry that happened to you 😬.
I put a worm bin outside and the ants moved in the very same night! I've heard if you can get it on legs then put each leg in a dish of water it will stop the ants or greasing the legs with petroleum jelly but I just gave the bin up to nature and stuck with keeping my bin indoors as every square inch in my garden has ants.
@@eleanoraddy4683 I know people who have worm towers in their gardens. Basically 5 gallon buckets buried except for the top inch or so. Holes drill in the bottom and sides so worms can come and go as they please. They feed the buckets just like a regular worm bin so the worms know where food is and also it makes them fill the bucket with castings 😊. No one has said they have issues with ants moving in. I’d guess it’s because the bucket is buried and ants don’t want to get too deep.
Maybe you can rescue your worm bin by burying it??
I always thought that colored paper or cardboard was a no-no because of the chemicals in the colored print?
Hi Rick Jay! In the United States ink was transitioned to being non toxic soy based in the 80s (give or take). Otherwise the comics and sale circulars we handle today would be toxic too as it rubs off. I can not speak to the ink used in other countries but I’d guess Canada and the UK would be safe. A google search of any country of interest would give a pretty definitive answer.
Thanks for asking! Old information is still floating around and it’s good to clear things up. ❤️.
Does breeder worms main adult
Hi Wiley! Yes, breeder bins have only adults in them. They’re main job is to make as many cocoons within the hatching timeframe of said cocoons - for red wigglers that’s 21 days. Other worms have different hatching timeframes. I saw your other question on grow out bins and what they are. I’ll respond there as well but you may want to watch the video I upload last week as it addresses these questions directly ❤️.
Here’s the link:
Worm Lifecycle in a Bin Management System
ruclips.net/video/FY4zrWSCOiw/видео.html
After watching this video please ask any more questions you have! I think the video will give you a good foundation from which to ask lots more questions 👍❤️🪱