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Worm Food - 2006/01/26 12:19Can I use cow manure to feed my worms? and if so how much should I use and does it need to be older manure? Thanks JoeHappy Farmin
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Michael D
User A Hatchling Earthworm
Posts: 11
Re:Worm Food - 2006/01/26 18:12I use horse manure as my bedding for the worms. I then add my food scraps to that. I add the manure to half my bin at a time. When you bring it up to the correct moister, it can heat up real good and I want the worms to have a place to be safe. Cow manure is even more processed which makes it easyer for the worms. Michael D.
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Joe Tex
User A Juvenile Earthworm
Posts: 44
Re:Worm Food - 2006/01/26 18:20I have access to all the cow manure one would ever want. How do I go about using it? Do I let it dry out first? Do I only use the old cow Manure? Use it as bedding instead of news paper? or mix it in? Thanks JoeHappy Farmin
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Michael D
User A Hatchling Earthworm
Posts: 11
Re:Worm Food - 2006/01/26 21:32Joe, How big an opperation do you want to have? Are you looking at just bins or are you trying to get rid of has much manure as you ever wanted where a wind row might make more sence. I would pre compost the cow manure to get rid of the heating. It can then be used as bedding or mixed with newspaper. The older the manure the less time you will have to compost it. It should be like a wet spunge when you use it. Michael D
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Bob Ingram
Visitor A Protected Species Earthworm
Posts: 156
Re:Worm Food - 2006/01/28 09:45Joe, cow manure is excellent feed. Composted is safe, but,not being as hot as horse manure, it can be fed fresher if fed sparingly to an established bin...Seeya, Bobwww.trinity-ranch.com
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Joe Tex
User A Juvenile Earthworm
Posts: 44
Re:Worm Food - 2006/01/31 10:20I am starting off small with 5 lbs of red worms. I have all the room to grow bigger but I am new to this and want to start out small untill I understand these worms a little better. How long should I let the cow manure compost for? Also how old do you think I should let it get before feeding it to my worms?
Another question for yall? Does what you feed the worms make a big differance in how good the castings are? and if so what kinda food would help the NPK in the castings?
Thanks JoeHappy Farmin
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redhen
User A Protected Species Earthworm
Posts: 684
Re:Worm Food - 2006/01/31 10:38One thing I have read, is that what goes in the worm comes out with even more nutrients than the original feed. I would also think that a variety of food would be better than just one ingredient, as in 6 years of observing and learning about the worms, I am of the opinion that all life is about balance.Susan Quinby-Honer redhen@nc.rr.com Starve the Landfill...Feed the Earth.
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Bob Ingram
Visitor A Protected Species Earthworm
Posts: 156
Re:Worm Food - 2006/01/31 11:05Joe, I believe I read horse manure castings consistently test better...you might try going to the Soil Food Web site, as I think Dr. Elaine Ingham was credited with this conclusion. It doesn't take long for cow manure to get feedable, but it does need to go through the heat stages in order to be weed seed free.Seeya, Bobwww.trinity-ranch.com
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Joe Tex
User A Juvenile Earthworm
Posts: 44
Re:Worm Food - 2006/01/31 11:07Thank you Red Hen. I guess my question is what would be a good balanced diet for the worms? I have been giving them some bread, fruit loops, and a bananna so far but I have only had it going for a week or so? They eat everything I give them in 2 to 3 days so far it is very cool.. Also any suggestions that would help me with these worms would be great. Thanks JoeHappy Farmin
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redhen
User A Protected Species Earthworm
Posts: 684
Re:Worm Food - 2006/01/31 12:03It's funny, how we get concerned about a balanced feedstock for our worms, sometimes more than our own diets. (I am not saying this without including myself in the "we" ) If your worms are keeping up, then I think your balance is going well. You will notice an imbalance when the bin becomes more favorable to other creatures in your bin, and their numbers increase. Observation is one of the best keys to what goes on in your bin. Mostly you will just be doing what the rest of us are doing...Standing over our bins, scratching our heads, and then coming here to share information and observations.Susan Quinby-Honer redhen@nc.rr.com Starve the Landfill...Feed the Earth.
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Ranji
User A Hatchling Earthworm
Posts: 20
Re:Worm Food - 2006/01/31 12:10Hey Worm Bin Providers,
I was reading through this forum and was wondering if there is anything in fresh manure that could kill the worms due to the animal's natural parasites in their gut. Is that just for some types of animals, like dogs and not for horses or cows? I have a very small bin and have not used any manure as only have access to plenty of dog residue.
Thanks for your reply!
Ranji
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Bob Ingram
Visitor A Protected Species Earthworm
Posts: 156
Re:Worm Food - 2006/02/02 07:46Hi, Ranji. There are those that use worms to compost pet waste, but the accepted wisdom is not to use the resulting compost on food plots due to possible pathogens. Right wrong or indifferent, I don't think I'd use it on my vegetables or fruits...flower beds, maybe. Seeya, Bobwww.trinity-ranch.com
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) If your worms are keeping up, then I think your balance is going well. You will notice an imbalance when the bin becomes more favorable to other creatures in your bin, and their numbers increase. Observation is one of the best keys to what goes on in your bin. Mostly you will just be doing what the rest of us are doing...Standing over our bins, scratching our heads, and then coming here to share information and observations.