stickydank
Member
Feed and Feeding. Animal manures, garden compost, shredded or chopped cardboard, wood or papers or almost any decaying organic matter or organic waste product may be used as feed or to produce feed for earthworms. Dairy, steer, horse and rabbit manures are excellent feeds. Low-nutrient feeds need to be supplemented with high protein or nitrogen materials such as grains, mashes, walnut shell meal or cotton seed meal. The feed and supplements can be used straight or can be mixed with 20 to 30 percent horse manure or old pine or fir wood shavings, and spread on top of the bedding in thin strips or patties. This method of feeding will draw the worms to the top of the beds where they may be harvested most easily.
The protein content of the total feed should not be less than 9 percent and no more than 15 percent. If too little protein is present worms do not grow well, and the beds become too acid for eggs to hatch. With too much protein, feed decays quickly and the beds become too hot for the worms. Soured beds become filled with maggots from flies. Using feed with about 10 to 12 percent protein gives best results. If reasonable care is taken not to overfeed, worms can be raised without growing flies.
Worms should be fed regularly, usually once a week. The best guide to feeding schedules and amounts is condition of the worms. When the last of the feed is almost gone, it is time to feed again.
Fattening earthworms. Earthworms may be force-fattened so that their girth and weight double. A good method is to prepare several new beds with 6 inches of bedding and soak until soggy wet. Harvest the regular beds, place the harvested worms in the fattening beds, and feed them straight mash or meal. If they are very active, feed them twice daily. A formula that has given excellent results is as follows: 700 lbs corn, 500 lbs. oats, 200 lbs. Milo and 600 lbs. alfalfa pellets. This formula contains about 12-15% crude protein. Additional cottonseed meal is often added by experienced growers but can result in sour beds. The worms will be ready for harvesting and selling in 7 to 10 days.
The protein content of the total feed should not be less than 9 percent and no more than 15 percent. If too little protein is present worms do not grow well, and the beds become too acid for eggs to hatch. With too much protein, feed decays quickly and the beds become too hot for the worms. Soured beds become filled with maggots from flies. Using feed with about 10 to 12 percent protein gives best results. If reasonable care is taken not to overfeed, worms can be raised without growing flies.
Worms should be fed regularly, usually once a week. The best guide to feeding schedules and amounts is condition of the worms. When the last of the feed is almost gone, it is time to feed again.
Fattening earthworms. Earthworms may be force-fattened so that their girth and weight double. A good method is to prepare several new beds with 6 inches of bedding and soak until soggy wet. Harvest the regular beds, place the harvested worms in the fattening beds, and feed them straight mash or meal. If they are very active, feed them twice daily. A formula that has given excellent results is as follows: 700 lbs corn, 500 lbs. oats, 200 lbs. Milo and 600 lbs. alfalfa pellets. This formula contains about 12-15% crude protein. Additional cottonseed meal is often added by experienced growers but can result in sour beds. The worms will be ready for harvesting and selling in 7 to 10 days.
I've got your protein SHAKE 
but generally I agree 
