ReSetting Breeder Bin - New Method of Separating the Adults from the Cocoons

Summary

In this informative video, Jayne from Loxahatchee, Florida, shares her expertise on red wiggler compost worms and mealworms. She demonstrates a new method for separating adult worms from cocoons using sifters, which she believes is less stressful for the worms. Jayne also emphasizes the importance of maintaining the right moisture level in the breeding bins and shares tips for setting up a nursery bin to encourage cocoon hatching. The video is a valuable resource for those interested in vermicomposting and worm care.

Takeaways

• 😀 Jayne's channel focuses on red wiggler compost worms and mealworms, with the video discussing red wigglers specifically.
• 🕵️‍♀️ The standard procedure for a brooder event is 21 days, allowing adult worms to make cocoons without hatching them.
• 🔄 At day 21, the process involves removing adult worms and placing them in a new bin with fresh bedding, leaving the cocoons in the old bedding to hatch.
• 🧪 Jayne uses a mix of cow manure, leaves, and pre-composted materials for the new bedding bin.
• 🔧 Jayne is trying a new sifting method to separate adult worms from their bedding, using sifters with different mesh sizes.
• 💡 The new sifting method is believed to be less stressful for the worms compared to the light separation method.
• 🌱 It's suggested that adding some adult worms back to the nursery bin with cocoons can improve hatch rates.
• 🔍 Jayne emphasizes the importance of checking the health of the worms and the moisture level of the bedding.
• 📝 Small starting quantities of worms are encouraged for beginners to get started without a large investment.
• 💧 Before closing the bins, Jayne sprays them with a molasses water solution to encourage bacteria growth, beneficial for the worms.
• 📆 Jayne labels the bins with the current date and the next check date, helping to manage the worm breeding process effectively.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of Jayne's channel?

Jayne's channel primarily focuses on red wiggler compost worms and mealworms.

What is the standard procedure for a brooder event in red wiggler worms?

The standard procedure for a brooder event is to allow it to go for 21 days, which gives adult red wigglers time to make cocoons without the cocoons hatching.

What is the purpose of separating the adult worms from the bedding at day 21?

The purpose is to leave behind the bedding with cocoons to hatch and grow in a nursery bed, while the adult worms go into a new fresh bedding bin to produce more offspring.

What is Jayne's own mix for the new bedding bin for adult red wigglers?

Jayne's own mix consists of cow manure, leaves, and pre-composted bedding materials like coffee grounds, cardboard, and vegetable juice.

Why does Jayne think the light separation method is stressful for the worms?

The light separation method is considered stressful because worms dive down to avoid the light, getting crowded and closer to the light source, which can cause them to stretch out and bubble, signaling stress.

What alternative method is Jayne trying to separate adult worms from the bedding?

Jayne is trying a sifting method using new sifters with quarter-inch and eighth-inch screens to separate the adult worms from the bedding.

Why does Jayne add some of the adult worms back into the nursery bin with the cocoons?

Jayne adds adult worms back into the nursery bin because she has found that it improves the hatching rate of the cocoons, possibly due to the adults aerating the bedding and signaling to the cocoons.

What are the two characteristics of a red wiggler worm that Jayne mentions?

The two characteristics of a red wiggler worm are a bulgy clitellum and a yellow-tinged tail.

How does Jayne check the moisture level of the bedding in the breeder bin?

Jayne checks the moisture level by squeezing the bedding; if it holds into a clump instead of falling away like dry sand, it indicates that there is still moisture present.

What does Jayne spray on the new breeder bin before closing it up, and why?

Jayne sprays a molasses water solution (made with non-sulfured molasses) on the new breeder bin to feed the bacteria, which the worms then feed on, promoting a healthy bin environment.

Why does Jayne combine the old bedding with cocoons from the small bin into a larger bin?

Jayne combines the old bedding and cocoons to reduce the number of bins she needs to manage, making the worm-keeping process more manageable.

Why doesn't Jayne feed the worms in the old bedding with cocoons immediately after sorting?

Jayne doesn't feed the worms immediately because the old bedding already contains pre-composted materials, leaves, and cow manure, providing enough food for the worms as the cocoons hatch.