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

[@michaelfoster8530]

I've learned more in this video than watching 100 other videos. Not many people are doing videos about breeder bins. Thanks for the helpful hints.

[@RockinWorms]

Wow! That’s high praise indeed! I’m thrilled to hear I’ve helped somebody so much! I hope you come back for more videos and they’re just as helpful 😊. Take care!

[@vickibee8451]

I actually counted that you took out close to 105 adult worms from this bin.

[@jenn1ferschonberger]

You have done an amazing job explaining how to set up breeder bins. This is my third year of keeping them all together. The lack of extra space has slowed down reproduction. I'm SO EXCITED to let the adults get busy in their own space. This is the most helpful video I've seen in a year. Thank you!

[@RockinWorms]

Hi Jennifer! Thank you so much! I’m so glad you found it helpful. I know my videos can be on the long side - along with my answers to comments - but I really really want to explain the hows and the whys - and give step by step instructions as much as possible. I’ve personally had too many experiences following instructions and the tricky part gets skipped over! Or I’m told to do something that doesn’t make sense to me. I like to know why! The other thing I’m trying to address is the needs and wants of the small worm farmer. Not everyone has rooms of space or outdoor space but they still want to do this thing called vermicomposting. I’m trying to make it more accessible to more people❤️. PLEASE post back on how your breeder bin goes! Be warned - you’ll be setting up new bins again soon 🤣. It’s addictive! Thanks again for watching and the kind words ❤️

[@RockinWorms]

I wanted to add…. Check out my new videos on INDOOR TABLE TOP Pre-composting! I think you’ll find it very helpful!

[@denaewilliamson2559]

Brilliant video; thank you very much. I was looking for a link to the screen sifters you are using. I'll check out any and all of your other videos. Blessings, Denae

[@RockinWorms]

@@denaewilliamson2559 Hi Denae! Welcome! Be sure to google hard for the sifters! I found mine for half the cost Amazon wants. Are you in the western part of the United States by any chance? Thanks for your kind words on my videos! Hubby and I are having a blast making them :) Goofs and mistakes and all 😂

[@sherrywebster1675]

Hi from Australia, worm breeding for 2 years now, learning heaps. Yes I prefer to use sifting ...by hand for my smaller quantities of worms and castings ...and I use an old screen from a standing fan I took apart, which sits nicely in a simple laundry basin . I have only one size of holes from the fan but can easily use a separate finer sifting device from my kitchen etc . I agree entirely that the light method is very stressful for the worms and I find it is also a very slow method. It is so calming to sit in late afternoon gentle light on an old camp chair with my basin and screen in front of me gently sifting and separating . Its very meditative and I've found that is so for my grandkids and others too who have a turn when visiting . Thank you for you great videos .

[@RockinWorms]

@@sherrywebster1675 Hello Sherry from Australia 😍. There’s always something new to learn or play with, isn’t there? It’s part of the fun! Yep, we agree! Now I do find myself using variations of it or the concept of light migration but not in the traditional ‘get the worms naked’ way. I also now running my breeder bins to get lots of cocoons (selling them!) so can’t use this method as much as I used to. Baring the breeders INTO the sifter works well - I have a video on that - but I often simply hand pull them. I find it zen too 🙏. Same for collecting cocoons. It’s just nice and calm and peaceful, not to mention rewarding as well! 🤩 Ooh! You’ve got the next generation involved! Nice! That’s even more fun 😎. Thanks for watching and I hope to hear more from you along the way 😊🪱

[@sherrywebster1675]

Thank you for this valuable info that I haven't seen anyone else explain so well and so completely, after a year of watching and searching ! I just learned how I will separate my worms both for harvest and for breeding and gathering of coccoons .... awesome !!

[@RockinWorms]

Hi Sherry! Welcome! I’m so glad you found some helpful information 👍😊! If you want to see another method I use for breeder bin resetting and getting the cocoons that stick to the breeder worms off, you can give this a watch: Breeder Bins Managing to Success - Module 2: Moving Breeders to New Bin kzbin.info/www/bejne/pIink4V4gp6sfqM Thanks for stopping by! ❤️🪱🪱

[@wallysworms]

I avoid using a sift when getting the adult worms out as I have the tendency to keep things rather wet. For sifting out the cocoons I let the compost dry out a little more and I effectively sift with 1/8 sift. The reason I keep the adults rather wet is because I'm afraid of losing weight when drying out the compost to sift it. Nice vid, keep them coming.

[@RockinWorms]

Hi Wally! I agree whole heartedly with your method. I tend to switch between picking the adults out directly from the bin and scooping a bunch into the sifter which acts has a corral and gets them higher up for picking out, which is easier on my back. If the bedding has dried down enough to also be sifted for castings then that’s a bonus. Often it’s not and I do what you do. Pick out the adults and get them into a new breeder bin ASAP. Then I work on making the castings (and cocoons) dry enough to sift out effectively. I’m not worried too much about them losing weight during a brief dry down period but there’s no reason or benefit of letting that happen. That’s not to say it doesn’t happen anyway! If I’m unable to finish a breeder bin reset in one session a dry down might happen until I can get back to it. Keep up the great work Wally! Your worms appreciate it I’m sure. And thanks for sharing what you do! ❤️🪱❤️

[@kieshaannpetersen9854]

I personally found your video very helpful, thank you very much 🌹

[@RockinWorms]

@@kieshaannpetersen9854 Hello Kiesha! Welcome 🤗. I’m so glad you found the video helpful 👍. Do you have red wigglers? 🪱🪱

[@no-target3152]

Going through my bin I've disturbed 2 of them bonded together. The earth really did move for them.. :)

[@RockinWorms]

😂🤣

[@rubyfisher2343]

OK thanks for your reply

[@daviddelprince1059]

love those sifters

[@RockinWorms]

They are great! But pricy 😳. I did a lot of google searching and did find a store that had them for half what Amazon did. However that store recently stopped selling them online. Maybe there’s other stores selling for a better price so be sure to search hard before buying!

[@PlantObsessed]

I do love those screens. They are totally worth the money.

[@RockinWorms]

I agree! I was going to buy them thru your affiliate links - until I found them for half price. I couldn’t not get them that way with that kind of savings.

[@PlantObsessed]

@@RockinWorms good deal!! they are expensive especially now a days.

[@juxtageist]

Where did you get them?

[@northeastworms]

I have the big trommel and make my life much easier :) Btw I do the same as you, after 3 weeks Remove the adults and the bedding with cocoons become nursery :)

[@RockinWorms]

Hi Gitano! I love your videos! I’ve seen that trommel in action giving your worms a roller coaster ride🤣. I have all the materials to make my own version - everything but the time needed to do it. Grr. But I’ll get there soon. Turning the breeder bin into a nursery bin is the easiest, fastest thing to do. Do you combine bins to save on space? I’m starting to do that. I don’t think I remembered subscribed to your channel - oversight now fixed! Thanks for watching and commenting ❤️

[@DeniseWalker-k8p]

This is a wonderful way

[@RockinWorms]

@@DeniseWalker-k8p I liked it very much! It works great if you run your breeder bins a tad on the dry side. You don’t get quite as many cocoons but you get a decent amount of great castings quickly with very little effort. Since I’ve been selling cocoons I’ve needed to run my breeder bin much wetter so I get maximum cocoon production. Therefore I’ve switched to other methods to quickly reset breeders into new bins. Gotta be flexible, you know?! 🤩🪱

[@TheGardenAndWormLady]

Another awesome video!!!!! Love it

[@rodelaboxers]

i like your channel you describe things so the clueless like me can understand. i have a question about this video. you only give them 21 days to breed and drop their cocoon doesnt that mean they would need to breed the day you started the bin, i was under the impression that it takes them 21 days to complete the whole cycle so if they took 5 days to do their job they would be outside the window. am i misunderstanding this?

[@RockinWorms]

@@rodelaboxers Hi! Welcome! Thanks for the question 😍. This is how it generally works: it takes about 21 days for the wisps inside a fresh laid cocoon to develop enough to hatch. With a 21 day breeder cycle the cocoons that were laid on the first day the worms are in the new breeder bin will hatch. Cocoons laid after the first day will not yet be hatching and remain in their cocoon form. It is much easier to collect cocoons (if you want to do that) than to collect wisps, especially ones that are so young. So the idea is to separate the breeders from the cocoons (not the wisps) as it’s easier. All that said I often already have wisps at day 21. Other worm wranglers have reported the same thing. So if I really don’t want to deal with wisps I will actually reset breeder bins between day 15-17. That way even the cocoons laid on the first day of the breeder bin will not have hatched yet. Does this help clarify things for you? If not please ask again and I’ll try again 😎🪱

[@rodelaboxers]

@@RockinWorms ty so much, that make total sense♥

[@clifffraser5653]

I know this vid is a year old but I'm working my way through them. Cocoons themselves don’t eat. Adult worms are needed to break down food scraps. The castings are food for hatchlings.

[@RockinWorms]

You had it right up to the end 😊. Castings are not food for hatchlings per se. They’ll eat them but castings aren’t supposed to be food for worms. It’s more of a last resort. Once the hatchlings are out of the cocoons you should start adding food to the bin. The newspaper covering is usually their first food! Then when that pretty much gone I start with a light sprinkle of worm chow for a few weeks. After that they can be given ‘real food’ in small amounts, being careful to not overfeed the bin. You can certainly give them real food right away if that’s what you have. I find the worms chow easier to use as I can get a good coverage of the entire bin. ISOs don’t tend to explore much or go far so it’s best if food can be readily available nearby. Ok? 🪱🪱

[@rubyfisher2343]

Where did you get your sifter

[@RockinWorms]

@@rubyfisher2343 Hi! The place online I got mine no longer sells them. An online store called Kingsley North has them for a few dollars cheaper than Amazon. Here is the Amazon link (non affiliated): www.amazon.com/SE-GP2-5-SET-Patented-Stackable/dp/B00C7YCQIQ The sifters are great!

[@rubyfisher2343]

OK thanks ​@@RockinWorms

[@TigerLilyGzzTLRoars]

Great information. I've been keeping worms to add their compost to my gardens and your explanations were very useful. I had not thought about using the molasses water to spritz and to cover with paper then a bit of plastic. I had just been putting a towel over my bin to keep them breathing and to keep the flies away. Much appreciate your content. New sub!!

[@RockinWorms]

Hi TigerLily! Welcome! There’s lots of way to keep and grow out worms. It’s all about finding what works best for you. I never thought about using a towel! If it works, it works ❤️. I do like the paper and plastic best for me though. Easy to work with - just roll or fold back to get it out of the way. Easy to replace as needed. Free too! AND the worms eat the paper so…free food for them! The molasses water is a nice touch. Since I have to add water to the bins occasionally, I may as well pump up the benefit by giving the worms and biota a little treat at the same time 😊. Make sure it’s the unsulfered kind. Thanks for subscribing! I really appreciate it 👍

[@LK-3000]

I use an old sheet (which they don't like to crawl on) that I secure with clip binders. I used to use old T-shirts when I had them in buckets. The paper and plastic work well too but I have to keep my dogs out of it. They're a bit too nosey ;)

[@RockinWorms]

@@LK-3000 I love the different ideas for bin tops! Once again it’s great to use what you already have on hand. I’ve used binder clips to hold up the grow bags off the bottom that I put inside 5 gallon buckets that become worm bins. It’s how I started - using 5 gallon buckets ❤️

[@peggywaters2589]

I was given some homemade fruit jelly, that we find just too sweet. I mixed some with water and gave it to the worms. I could buy some molasses for them, but this seems like a win win for us!

[@RockinWorms]

@@peggywaters2589 Hi Peggy! Another great example of using what you’ve got on hand! Excellent thinking ❤️

[@satkunanandanthirunavukara7715]

Where canI buy the worm seperater( seaver) How much

[@RockinWorms]

Hi! Here is the link for the sifter set: www.calranch.com/se-stackable-sifting-pan-set-green-sku7059020 Waaaaay cheaper than Amazon for the exact same set and brand.

[@RedWrigglerBklyn]

Terrific video! I wish I'd seen it 3 weeks ago when I started my bin for hatching cocoons.

[@RockinWorms]

Hello! Well, you’ll have new information to use for the next go around! I’m often modifying what I’m doing - I watch a video that has a great idea or it sparks me into my own variation or I’m just learning the hard way 😆. It’s all about the journey! I hope you watch a few more videos and they’ll help you out in a more timely manner 😊. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@HikingHermit1975]

Learning so much from your videos.....that is saying alot for this old retired fella from Connersville, Indiana 😂

[@RockinWorms]

Hello! I’m glad I can help you on your worm journey❤️. We’re all learning and sharing 👍. Thanks for watching!

[@HikingHermit1975]

@@RockinWorms where did you get your compost sifter, 1/4" & 1/8" Thank you

[@RockinWorms]

@@HikingHermit1975 Hi again! I bought them as part of a 5 sifter set from a company called CALRanch located in the western USA states. I posted their info and the link on my community page. Their price was almost half of what Amazon wants😳. They had them back in stock for home shipping recently so yea, check them out. The sifters do make everything much easier. Totally recommend spending the money to get them.

[@HikingHermit1975]

@@RockinWorms thank you for the info...will check them out.

[@rico99586]

Thanks for the video, quite informative. A funny part was when you were squeezing the bedding to show how it had moisture, and you REALLY squeezed. I was thinking if it was dry but you crushed a bunch of worms, yes, it would be moist. Then you opened your hand and , haha, there were the squeezed ones, and then you squeezed them again.hahhah. Im sorry, but it was a good video. I'm subscribing.

[@RockinWorms]

Hi Richard! Thank goodness worms are quite resilient! The bedding around them protects them more than you’d think when the squeeze is on lol! But yeah, worm mush would probably dampen the bedding too. Yuck! Glad you enjoyed the video and it gave you a laugh. I’m totally ok with being a bit of a goof🤪. Thanks so much for subscribing!!

[@TrapperBV]

Great video! I’m in the process of taking a small amount of worms and multiplying them into a ton myself. How many worms did you start with and how many do you have now (roughly)?

[@RockinWorms]

Hello! I started with 2 small handfuls given to me by my friend Rob. He and I guess it was about 200 worms. I didn’t count them. I knew diddly squat about worms too. This was at the end of May last year. I now have over 2,000 counted red wiggler breeders, over 3,000 counted (!!) red wiggler cocoons plus 4 bins full of uncounted worms and cocoons - so at least a few thousand more. I don’t know how my growth rate compares to anyone else’s but I’m super happy with it! I’m going to have to start thinking hard on where to expand into once my current space is full. I think it’s going to happen sooner than I’m prepared for 😮 Thanks for watching and asking the question!!

[@CoralMan24]

great video the sifters seem to really make fast work of sorting for you :)

[@RockinWorms]

Hi! The sifters have been a great tool and investment in saving time. My husband has mentioned several times how much faster sorting the worms went using the sifters vs using light separation. By HOURS! There’s also reports from other serious worm farmers that these sifters are great quality and last for years and years. All that said, I’m always open to learning and trying new ways to improve how I do things. Thanks for watching and I hope you’ll enjoy my future videos as well ❤️

[@johnbladykas4885]

Thanks for sharing. What per cent of coffee did you put in your breeder bin

[@RockinWorms]

Hi John! I rarely put coffee grounds directly on any of my worms bins. I did it as a bait for luring worms into a softer and it did work very well 👍 Otherwise I put the coffee grounds into my pre-compost mix and let the hot composting break down the nitrogen in the grounds first, along with carbon in the form of shredded cardboard. Several worm wranglers routinely add coffee grounds to their worm bins and it seems quite a good direct food source for the worms. I’m just happen to not do it that way. 😊🪱

[@DeniseWalker-k8p]

I love this where do i get one?

[@RockinWorms]

@@DeniseWalker-k8p The online store I bought my sifters from no longer carries them 😩. BUT I just found these which are a little cheaper than the same pans on Amazon: kingsleynorth.com/5-pc-sifting-pan-set.html There’s also 3 pan sifter sets available as well. You can pick whichever best suits your needs and budget 😎🪱

[@nancyfargo4209]

couple questions, my breeder bin will be ready to separate in a week but today i looked and the bedding is so much more broken down than yours. (my first experiment with breeding was a total failure because i mixed in too much food, i killed everyone). Would the cocoons be ok staying in that material? also you take your breeders out of a smaller bin to reset them into a larger bin? wouldn't the ratio of space to bedding be totally different then? thanks so much for the video

[@RockinWorms]

Hi Nancy! Welcome! This video is a year old and I’ve refined my bedding and even the separation process since then 😎. My bedding is much more completed now after the 21 day cycle than what I was doing/using in this video. To answer your main question, is it ok to leave the cocoons in the more used up/more castings bedding, the answer is yes but for a limited time. Once you see that the cocoons are hatching g it’s time to add more fresh bedding and perhaps a sprinkle of food. The goal is the get the hatchlings to a size where they can be harvested (using your preferred method) and then moved into a fresh bin OR you can choose to harvest the castings and replace the castings with the fresh bedding. Either way works 👍. I have accidentally left hatchlings in the old breeder bedding too long and lost nursery bins that way 🥲😬😡. The castjngs were fantastic but all the baby worms died. So as you ask, it is important to keep an eye on the cocoon/nursery bin and give them fresh bedding before too much time has passed. As to your other observation, yes, there were too few adult breeder worm in the new bigger bin to maximize cocoon production going forward. Again, as this video was a year ago I don’t honestly remember if I added more breeder to the new breeder bin afterward or not 🤷‍♂️. I will say that all my breeder bins now circle around 800-850 breeders for this sized bin (which are the exact same bins I am still using). I’ve also slightly decreased the amount of bedding in the bins to around 2.25 gallons. I also no longer add leaves to breeder bins as I find better cocoon production numbers with less ‘obstructions’ in the bedding. May I suggest you watch a new breeder bin video of mine for the more recent processes I do? Setting Up a Small/First Time Breeder Bin kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXXLYZeAr8dlebc Thanks for watching and asking clarification questions! You’re right on target with your thoughts! 👍🪱❤️

[@mrice2488]

Excellent video!

[@RockinWorms]

Hi! Thanks! Glad you liked it 🤗🪱

[@randallwithee2189]

What size are your various bins? Obviously your breeder bins are smaller, but how many quarts do the bins hold, and how deep is the bedding? I'm using concrete mixing tubs and keeping the bedding at 3"-4", but they are quite heavy and expensive. I've looked for "non- clear" totes, but there aren't many that are cheap, and so many sizes. I'm not sure what size to get.

[@RockinWorms]

Hi Randall! My bins are all the same size except for the long bin. Breeders, cocoon/nursery, grow outs - all the same exact bin. Sterilite bins that are 27 or 28 quart capacity. They’re basically 25” by 16” by 6” but I only fill them halfway unless I’ve got a specific reason why a bin will be fuller. I put a total of 3 gallons of bedding into a breeder bin. The 3 gallons is approximately half and half ore-compost and sifted cow manure. Depth is about 2.5”. Weight and cost factored heavily into why I bought these specific bins. Non-clear bins are nice and all but I don’t think they’re necessary. Worms have plenty of bedding that can hide it. I often see worms pressed up against the clear sides of the bins facing into the lighted room. They are there by choice. If clear bins work better for you then it’s ok! The worms won’t really mind. If mortar work better for you, then use them. 🪱🪱🪱

[@laurasoftheart]

Where did you get those worm screeners?

[@RockinWorms]

Hi Laura! You mean the sifters? From a company called CAL Ranch. Online. Price, even with shipping, is about 40% less than exact same sifters from Amazon. Here’s the link: www.calranch.com/se-stackable-sifting-pan-set-green-sku7059020 They are currently in stock for home shipping. ❤️🪱🪱

[@neva-surrender]

Great information, you're awesome

[@RockinWorms]

Awww thanks! That’s very kind of you to say. I tend to be very detailed in my answers because I find it frustrating myself to ask a question and not get a complete helpful answer. I’m much closer to being new at raising red wigglers so very much remember all the issues and questions I had and how hard it was sometimes to find answers that gave the ‘why’ behind doing something as well as the ‘how’ to do it - and sometimes the how skipped important steps. Grr. There are several channels however that I hope to get the go ahead to reference during my videos as I did learn from them and want to give credit where credit is due!

[@jtran7517]

Without a lid , how can you be sure the worms will not try to run away ? Thanks

[@RockinWorms]

Hi J. There’s a couple of things that keep worms in their bins. The first is the relative dryness of life outside the bin. Worms need moisture to breathe thru their skin. If they dry out, they die. They know that 😊. So if the bin bedding is moister than the area outside the bin, the worms will stay put. Secondly is light. Worms are light adverse. They seriously don’t like light in their skin although some species of worms aren’t quite as sensitive to light. If the bin is darker than the surrounding area, they also will stay put. Some worm wranglers will keep light on either all the time or when the worms have been agitated in order to help them from wandering off 🙄. Now, if bin conditions are really bad, worms will risk the certain death of staying for the risk of escaping and hoping to find a better environment. Therefore, keeping your bins in a manner that provides worms with all they need to survive and better yet, thrive, will keep worms happily in their bin! Ok? 👍❤️🪱

[@RonBarton-cc5hx]

Where did you get your sifters?

[@RockinWorms]

Hi Ron! I’ve been getting this question a lot lately 😎. Here’s what I posted to another worm wrangler a few days ago: I bought them online from CAL Ranch which is a west coast store chain. Unfortunately they stopped offering the sifter set a few months ago. Amazon has the sifter set. *I just found that Amazon also has a 3 pan set that’s the 1/4”, 1/8”, and 1/12” for $59.99 with free shipping if you have prime. See bottom of post for Amazon link* I routinely use the 1/8” and 1/12” mesh sifters for worm work. I occasionally use the 1/4” mesh sifter. I know lots of worm wranglers that almost, if not exclusively, use just the 1/4” mesh sifter. I think it depends on what you plan on doing. If you want to sift out cocoons from castings you’re definitely going to want a 1/8” mesh screen. If you’re more thinking you’re going to achieve a stable worm population and stick with that and harvest castings as your main goal then a 1/4” mesh sifter is probably enough. Stable worm populations self regulate their population growth and operate more on replacements of dying worms. Therefore they don’t make lots of cocoons. There’s simply less cocoons to worry about catching when sifting. FYI I did a deep dive search to find the CAL Ranch sifters at the great price they offered. I have not done such a search since so there may be other retailers that offer a good price on the sifters. You’d have to be willing to put some time and effort in to find out if such a deal exists elsewhere. If you do and find a great price, I’m sure everyone would be happy if you shared that info 👍🤩❤️🪱 Hi again. I did a little internet searching and found this store that gets great reviews and sells the stackable sifters online. While they offer multiple mesh sizes they have the 1/4”, 1/8” and 1/12” mesh stackable pans that fit on a 5 gallon bucket (like mine do) for $20 each plus shipping. So to buy the 3 most used worm wrangling sized sifters would be $60 plus tax and shipping. Here’s the link: highplainsprospectors.com/products/sifting-pan It might be worth checking out 🤷‍♂️. Here’s the link for the Amazon 3 pan sifter set (non-affiliate link) www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFCQCHPP/ref=syn_sd_onsite_mobileweb_0?ie=UTF8&psc=1&pd_rd_plhdr=t&aref=boFEKbLREd

[@GenRN]

Can you explain your reasoning behind using molasses water? I’ve never heard of this.

[@RockinWorms]

Hi again! Molasses water is used to add sweetness and calories to a worm bin. The sweetness and moisture will ramp up biota activity, which aids in breaking down food and bedding, which the worms eat as well as the biota itself. I used it once for a very short time but I didn’t really give it a chance to effect anything. I’ve started trying to use it again to fatten up the worms (calories) but I often forget 🙄. I do add the dregs of empty sweet things (honey, maple syrup) into bins. Molasses is added to fresh worm tea along with aeration to ramp up biota prior to foliage spaying or ground drenching. Ok? ❤️🪱

[@GenRN]

@@RockinWorms fantastic! Thank you! I do sometimes feel like my worms are too thin. Any advice? I really only give them fruit and vegetable matter. Should I add carbohydrates? Like cooked rice or oatmeal? Wouldn’t that do the same thing? Thank you so much for the response! Just FYI, I keep red wigglers and European night crawlers. Inside in a Vermihut and I’ve had them over a year. I used sand initially for grit but now use egg shells that I dry out in the oven and grind in my coffee bean grinder , cross cut shredded cardboard and I freeze and thaw my scraps.

[@RockinWorms]

@@GenRN You are very welcome! First off, thin worms are perfectly fine in themselves. Fatter breeder worms are nicer because their cocoons are bigger and therefore easier to sift out of castings. Worms that get mostly fruits and veggies do seem skinnier than their worm chow counterparts. The carbs do seem to be a main difference. I’ve begun experimenting with higher calorie foods like avocado and beans to see if that fattens them up too. Also space per worm is important. If you stay closer to the 200 worms per square foot of surface area (for shallow bins) the worms will on average be bigger/fatter. If you have deep bins/bags/totes you can up that number a bit and still get and keep chonky worms. In breeder bins you want a higher density or ways to bring the worms together (how they’re fed) to increase mating opportunities. Oatmeal would be a good choice for adding carbs as it also has good protein. Rice can cause issues in bins so be very careful with that. Teeny tiny amounts buried deep would be ok. You just need to always keep in mind that a worm bin is NOT a compost bin and can’t be treated the same way. Or you’ll cook your worms. And no one wants that! ❤️🪱🪱

[@RockinWorms]

Oh! I cook my eggshells too, in a cooling oven, otherwise I forget and burn them. 🙄. My eggshells go to the chickens but the concept is the same. I use both cross cut and micro cut cardboard and junk mail paper. I am now using a combo of freeze/thaw food scraps and using the instant pot to prepare food scraps for the worms 👍❤️🪱.

[@GenRN]

@@RockinWorms yes I remember hearing about too many grains in a worm bin. I was thinking about the bacteria and stink but of course it would heat up. I need to pull out my compost and get some fresh bedding in there…hence the sieves! Thank you again for all your videos and advice! Worm on! 🪱❤️🪱

[@tammybischoff6486]

Where did you get the sifters?

[@RockinWorms]

Hi Tammy! I bought them from CAL Ranch. Online. For a little more than half what Amazon wants - or at least that’s what is was a few months ago. I haven’t tracked it since then. I have a community post with all the info. If you need more help finding them, let me know and I’ll repost the link. Thanks for watching! ❤️🪱🪱

[@orunnolafsdottir8203]

Hi, love the video and where do you buy the shifter?💖

[@RockinWorms]

Hi! I bought mine online from here: www.calranch.com/se-stackable-sifting-pan-set-green-sku7059020 I’m not affiliated at all. Just a happy person spending 40% less than what Amazon charges. 👍

[@lynnegialanze8650]

Excellent video thank you ❤🇦🇺

[@RockinWorms]

Hi Lynne! Welcome! I hope you find other videos interesting and helpful too 👍🪱🪱

[@GenRN]

Where did you get your sieves? Can you post a link or info??

[@RockinWorms]

I posted the link and info on my community page. Company is called CALRanch. They are SE stackable sifters. About 40% less cost than buying on Amazon! If you can’t find the link or google it let me know. 🪱🪱❤️

[@GenRN]

@@RockinWorms thank you!

[@haroldyeager6124]

Is it really necessary to separate the cocoons from the worms? In a natural outside environment they are not separated. I’m planning on starting a worm farm on a small basis , at least at first.

[@RockinWorms]

Hi Harold! Welcome! Separating cocoons and breeders is not necessary as in they will indeed co-exist peacefully (unlike mealworms where larvae and adults will predate on the pupae). However, you will get better breeding results if the adults don’t have the cocoons and juveniles to navigate around s while searching for a mate. Also every worm they do meet is also a breeding adult. In human terms, a breeder only bin is like a singles bar vs a mixed age bin being more like a carnival. Also as the cocoons hatch their multiple babies the bin will become more crowded fast. High worm density reduces breeding activity as well. If you want a small farm and keep your worm population stable then leaving the cocoons in and letting them reach an equilibrium on worm age, size and population is perfectly fine. If (and I mean when!😍) you want to expand, setting up a dedicated breeder job is an fast and easy way to increase your worm herd. Ok? 🪱🪱😎

[@haroldyeager6124]

@@RockinWorms thanks for replying so quickly. I appreciate your information. That makes sense. And I like the reference to the Singles Bar.

[@scottyghouse]

Thanks so much for sharing. What and how do you feed your breeder worms for the 3 weeks? I am starting up a 20 litre bin this weekend!

[@RockinWorms]

Hi Scotty! How exciting that you’re starting a new bin! The trick with breeder bins is to disturb them as little as possible so as to not accidentally separate breeding pairs. Sounds simple right? Well, yes and no 😊. There’s several things you want to keep in mind when setting up the breeder bin to maximize cocoon making. They need to eat during the 3 weeks without me digging in and burying food. So I mix in a generous amount of my worm chow right into the bedding. I’ve tested my chow doing this so I know it doesn’t heat up. Another popular way to feed and not disturb is to only top feed. Again this means using dry worm chow so as to not draw it pests and bugs looking for an easy meal. Or have it smell - you don’t want that either! I also add in sifted cow manure and my homemade table top semi-composted compost, which I’ll be making a video on how to make in the next few days! Basically the worms have easy to eat favorite foods surrounding them. This is so they can concentrate on breeding and not finding food. Next thing to address is air - worms need to breathe air. Normally when a feed happens, I dig thru the bin checking on the food status and that adds air. So to add in air pockets that’ll last 3 weeks, add some chunky bits into the bedding. I use crushed up leaves - which is also a food worms love and are free. Others use pine shavings. Be creative and try a few different things to see what you have on hand that could work. The last major thing is moisture. Worms need to be moist to breathe. Therefore I really moisten the bedding up before adding in the breeders. As much water as the bedding can take WITHOUT having any pooling water on the bottom. Take your time adding in the water to get that right. It’s ok to peek during the 3 weeks and do a light water spray on top if it seems to be drying out. After all of this, I now add the breeder worms. Finally, I turn on the soft rock station and light a few candles and let them do their thing😂. I hope this looooong answer helps you have a successful breeder bin! Please post back on what you decide to do and how it goes!

[@scottyghouse]

@@RockinWorms thank you so much for the detailed response, this is really helpful! After reading your response, this is what I have decided (let me know if you think I have any wrong). For the bedding I will use sifted homemade compost (which as a lot of horse manure) and cardboard which I run through a wood chipper. I haven’t use a worm chow before, only really kitchen scraps but I am thinking I will blitz up my breakfast mix that I make which contains oats, flax seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds and sunflower seeds. I might add some used coffee grounds too. As for the music, I am thinking a little Marven Gaye😂

[@RockinWorms]

@@scottyghouse Your plan sounds very good! Pay attention to the size of the cardboard, that it doesn’t get too small. You want it to be the air space provider as well as food/bedding. I’d go heavier on the oats, throw in some wheat or other flour if you have it, and cornmeal if you have that too. Seeds may not powder enough (mine don’t) to be easy food for the breeder worms. Even stale crackers or non sugary cereal is a good worm chow addition. Go thru the pantry. You probably have more to use than you think. And you’re not looking at making pounds of it either. A couple cups with be a nice add to the compost, which will have good biota in it already. Lastly I’d consider Barry White or Roberta Flak as well as classic Marvin 😂

[@LK-3000]

@@RockinWorms Loved the Barry White, Roberta Flack comment. It gave me a chuckle. Also, thank you for explaining the "why's." It's greatly appreciated.

[@RockinWorms]

@@LK-3000 Hi LK! If you can’t have a little fun, why bother ❤️ I find the ‘whys’ help me remember to do things. It helps me find a place in my brain to store the information 😆. Thanks for watching and sharing! Hope to see you back on my channel!

[@arakanelite]

Not sure what I am doing wrong. I just finished the first 3 week cycle of breeding using your pre compost method and they got fat and tons of cacoons however it took me 1.5 hours per bin to seperate the adults and I only ran 5 bins. How am I supposed to scale up?

[@RockinWorms]

Hello! First off, congratulations on your breeder bin success! Chonky worms and lots of cocoons 👍😎. Are you sifting as you’re resetting the breeder bin? That does add time into the process. You’ll definitely get faster as you gain practice. You may want to consider my other method of resetting a breeder bin. It gets the breeders into their new bin quicker. You can then sift the ‘old’ bedding for cocoons and castings later. Here’s the video: Breeder Bins Managing to Success - Module 2: Moving Breeders to New Bin kzbin.info/www/bejne/pIink4V4gp6sfqM Let me know if this method works better for you 😎🪱

[@arakanelite]

@RockinWorms Thanks! Yeah my bin doesn't look like that still a lot of cardboard. I think that's what it takes so long.

[@RockinWorms]

@@arakanelite Ahhh. How many worms do you have in a breeder bin? And how much bedding? Having cardboard shred ‘left over’ isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I do find that when I have more cardboard shred at the end of the cycle than normal it usually means my bin was a bit drier than I usually have it 🙄. Maybe it’s the same for you? 🪱

[@LK-3000]

Thanks for your video. Love your sifters. What kind are they?

[@RockinWorms]

They are the SE Stackable Sifting Pan Set - Green. Amazon is the easiest place to buy them. If you do decide to buy them, please use the affiliate link Anne @Plant Obsessed has. She has great worm videos too! However, google the heck out of the sifters first as you may find them at a lower price.

[@marysisson7761]

Good job 👏

[@RockinWorms]

Hi Mary! Thanks! Do you think you’ll give this a try?

[@marysisson7761]

@@RockinWorms I have worms now and in the process of enlarging my bins considerably by this summer.

[@RockinWorms]

@@marysisson7761 Excellent! Pre-composting will be a great way to feed those worms at a fraction of the cost of buying worm chow or vegetables. Start the composting bin as soon as you can as it’ll only get better with time and be ready for when you need it for your expanding herd.

[@marysisson7761]

@@RockinWorms I have one, we get produce scraps from out grocery store to feed chickens some of it goes into a smaller pile for them or chopped fine. I really wanting to go large this year.

[@louisvello2513]

Hi Jane, Lou here. I have been worming for 6 months and I have yet to see any cacoon's. I have examined all my castings even with a magnifier glass and I have yet to see one cacoon. I am at my ropes end. I have set up breeder bins several ways still no cacoons. What am I doing wrong?. I feel like just hang iy up.

[@RockinWorms]

Hi Lou! I’m sorry you’re struggling with finding cocoons in your work bins. It can be frustrating until you ‘get your eye in’. If it’s any comfort, I’ve helped several others learn to find cocoons too 😊. Let’s start with the basics. What kind of worms do you have? Red wigglers? So you see any worms in your bin at all? Do you see any small young worms at all? And I mean even just one! We’ll work this out together! ❤️👍🪱

[@peggywaters2589]

It seems like it took a long time for my worms to “take off” too. I assumed that it was because my bedding was so new and not optimal conditions for the worms. I don’t think that I was doing anything wrong, I just think the worms needed time to settle in enough, to produce cocoons. And, it was months before I was able to screen my casting. I had a small amount of castings and didn’t know what I was looking for, although I did find tiny worms. For some reason, I took the casting out in the sun, I think it was because I wanted to put the castings in my plant pots. I found little shiny specks scattered in my castings. Those shiny specks were cocoons. The cocoons varied in color, some yellow, some various shades of darken brown. So….my advice to you; you’ve done the hard part, give yourself and your worms a little more time.

[@RockinWorms]

@@peggywaters2589 Hi Peggy! Thanks for jumping on and sharing with Lou and the rest of us your experience with a new bin. It can take 6 months for the ecosystem to reach equilibrium and the biota to really get distributed throughout the bin. It’s also not unusual for the first decent sift of castings to happen closer to a year out. Of course if you use pre-compost it can really speed things up as it’s already full of biota. 👍🪱 Cocoons are hard to see at first but once you get your eye in, they’re much easier to see. I call it a gleam rather than shiny but the concept is identical 😊. Good advice! Give the worms what they need and then lastly, give them time and space to do their thing ❤️

[@traceybier1128]

What's the reason behind separating the adults from the cocoons?

[@RockinWorms]

You get more breeding activity and therefore cocoon production if the breeders don’t have to maneuver around juveniles and previous cocoons. If every worm a breeder meets is another breeder worm there’s more hanky-panky that can happen easily. If increasing your worm population isn’t a priority then everyone can stay in the same bin with no issues . At some point the worm population will balance given their food supply and space. Once the balance happens the worms go into maintenance mode and reproduction slows way down to be more or less replacement levels. In my breeder bins I literally 2400 cocoons per 3 weeks cycle from approximately 800 breeders. And that rate isn’t even near what some worm wranglers claim they get from their worms. Contrast that with my grow out bins which have worms of all ages and stages in them. I get handfuls of cocoons from a much bigger number of worms - because they’ve reached balance. Did I explain that ok? 🪱🪱

[@traceybier1128]

@@RockinWorms that absolutely makes a great deal of sense. Thanks for the info. I love learning .

[@gmvpmb]

If you lookup videos on the large farms they use low damaging roller bins you can find from the same companies that make Nut farm haul separation rollers. You can thank me by helping me start with Thanks 😊

[@gmvpmb]

For small farms you can try the rotory gold separators. It's made for heavy and light body weight. Like rocks gravel with gravity. On an angle

[@RockinWorms]

Hello! I’m so sorry I missed your comment. I was mid family crisis but was trying to keep you on comments. Yours slipped by. Again, I do apologize 😩. I’ll do some searching on those rollers. That’s would be cool to see! Thanks! 😎🪱

[@RockinWorms]

I’ll look those up as well when I get the chance 😍. Thank you very much for the pointer direction 🤩🪱

[@73hani]

hi, nice video u got there, may i know the mesh diameter? 5mm ? thanx

[@RockinWorms]

Hi! Welcome to the Castings Crew! The diameter of the top tray is 3.18mm (1/8”) and the bottom mesh is 2.12mm (1/12”). It gives very fine sifted castings. 🪱🪱😎

[@lynnhowdeshell2641]

Do you sell red wigglers worms? The cocoons by their self. What would you recommend for me to get started. I like what you used to separate the worms out. Where can I buy that or do you sell it. Thank you for all the information. I am in AR.

[@RockinWorms]

@@lynnhowdeshell2641 Hi Lynn! Yes I sell both red wiggler cocoons by themselves as well as red wigglers breeder adults. You can visit my website site at: rockinworms.com/products Are you asking about the sifters? The best deal I’ve found available right now is at: generalstorespokane.com/ Red wigglers are a great way to start! They are the easiest of the composting worms to raise so make a great choice for new worm wranglers. I think cocoons are a more economical choice but adult breeders give a jump on growing your worm population. So the choice depends on what you’re looking to do 🤩. You can contact me thru my website as well and we can discuss your specific goals and best options 😍👍🪱. Thanks for asking! 🪱🪱🪱

[@flpanhandler7749]

So you really just need the 1/4” sifter?

[@RockinWorms]

Hello! Yes that’s right! Now I do still sift it out because the bedding/castings that come thru the 1/12” sifter don’t have any cocoons in it and I can add it right to the castings bucket. The material trapped between the 1/8” and the 1/12” screens are castings and have a concentrated number of cocoons in it - so either easy to pick them out or dump into a cocoon bin without overfilling it - I like to combine all cocoons from the 3 breeder bins into one cocoon bin. Saves on space 👍. The stuff that doesn’t go thru the 1/8” screen, regardless of it going thru the 1/4” screen or not, also has lots of cocoons in it as well as the chunky, moister bits. This material I either pick the cocoons out of (adding to the cocoon bin) and give the overs material into a grow out bin for further processing OR I put it all into a grow out bin (or 2) if I don’t have the time to mess with it further. OR I could also add it into the cocoon bin as well if it doesn’t overfill it. Lots of options depending on how I am for time and bins and shelf space for a specific cycle. I’ve done all 3 options at one time or another 😊. What I really need is a better faster way to separate out cocoons.

[@fatkorn]

I ❤ Worms

[@ookiee1]

can you please post the link to where you got your sifters from?

[@RockinWorms]

Hi Ron! Here’s my attempt to do that: www.calranch.com/se-stackable-sifting-pan-set-green-sku7059020 The price went up $5 but still way less than amazon. Also they are NOT doing online orders for the sifters right now. I don’t know why. If you’re in an area where they have physical stores, you can get them that way. Good luck!

[@MistressOP]

Have you tried using a piece of sandwich bread on top. Slightly moist? Then you scoop them up under it?

[@RockinWorms]

Hello! To gather up the worms? Kind of baiting them out? No, I haven’t. I’ve used moist bread to collect bin mites. Sometimes I have a lot in the bins. I mix worm chow throughout the breeder bedding when I’m setting up the bin. The pre-compost bedding is also full of biota/food. Getting large groups of worms in one place, like in a feeding zone which happens in my non-breeder bins, is harder to achieve. I like your idea though and while I might use a different food as bait - maybe an apple slice - this could be a great way to gather up a large number of breeders in one go. Next weekend is reset the bins time - I’ll give it a try! Thanks for sharing the idea!

[@MistressOP]

@@RockinWorms yeah, you don't feed it for a bit then you put the bread out and they are all under the bred. it's about timing but they rush feed it. you got some worms who won't be under it but 80% of the worms in the bed will be under that bread.

[@RockinWorms]

@@MistressOP Hi again! A few times I’ve top fed the breeder bins with worm chow and it just sat there. I hypothesized that there was so much food all around them they couldn’t be bothered to come up for the chow. But I do think using a special treat food might do the trick!

[@LK-3000]

@@RockinWorms My worms love melon. I've found worm balls under melon rinds. I don't feed it often because it's like candy to them but it really works to gather them.

[@RockinWorms]

@@LK-3000 I’m using melon right now to bait the breeders to the end of the breeder bin for the first time. I peaked into the bin this morning and it seems to be working a treat! The breeders haven’t had such a snack in weeks so they’re really going for it!

[@dlkessler67]

The worm is big!

[@RockinWorms]

Hello! Thanks for watching and sharing a comment. To not put too fine a point on it - I’m simply thrilled at how big and fat my breeders are! I’ve had some skinny worms along the way and I think I’m finally working out the best mix of bedding and foods to give them so they are big and healthy and make large cocoons. I plan on making a video about the breeder bin set up - bedding and food - with more details than this video had time for - when I reset their bins again in 3 weeks. I hope you’ll consider subscribing if you haven’t already so you can get more information on that :)

[@maplehick364]

Why separate the adult worms from the cocoons. Could they all be transferred to a larger bin?

[@RockinWorms]

Hi! Yes they could. It all depends on what your goal is. If you’re mainly interested in making castings or maintaining (not growing) your worm population then leaving them all together in a bin, or several bins, is perfectly fine. The worms will self regulate their population to fit the living space you give them. Due to the self regulation thing if you want to increase your population you have to manage space. Pulling cocoons out of a bin and leaving the adults gives the adults the room and incentive to make more cocoons. Now the fact is it’s far easier to pull out the adults, put them in new bedding, and leave the cocoons behind to grow out - the end result is the same. The other way to increase your worm population is to split a full bin of worms into 2 or 3 bins. Just take half or a third of the bedding from the full bin, place in a new bin, and add more fresh bedding until the worms have plenty of space. They’ll fill that space up with baby worms within a few months. Does this answer your question? If not, comment back and it’ll try again 😊 As always, thanks son much for watching and asking a great question. If you are wondering something chances are others are too!

[@fullcircle4723]

Do you soak your newspaper before using it? There is ink in the paper. Just one of things I learnt when I first started off. Great video though.

[@RockinWorms]

Hello! No I don’t. Yes, there’s definitely ink on the paper. Most (all?) ink in the United States went to soy based formulas several decades ago. It’s deemed nontoxic. I know some people want to avoid using soy products in their animal feed but I’m ok with it, especially for worms as food me or my animals eat (and therefore ultimately me!) are several iterations away from being ingested. It’s a personal choice and if soaking paper before using, or only using non-printed upon paper/cardboard is what someone wants to do, then I give my full support! It’s just something that I’ve decided not to worry about 😊 Thanks for watching and asking a great question!

[@fullcircle4723]

@@RockinWorms Thanks for the informative reply. Soy-based ink is new to me. Worms don't seem to have a problem either.

[@RockinWorms]

@@fullcircle4723 Some wormers are using shiny paper now as well. That’s been on the don’t use list for a long time. The wormers using shiny paper don’t seems to be using it a lot or exclusively but if they’ve got it, they use it. They report that it doesn’t seem to have any negative effect on their worms.

[@Debbie-Keller]

I am constantly combining some bins then dividing others.

[@RockinWorms]

Hi Debbie! I’m doing quite a lot of that right now myself. Many cocoon bins are now nursery bins and way too crowded 😳. It’s slowing down their maturation progress by quite a bit 🥲. I am finding a few older grow out bins that can take some younger worms because I’ve pulled out most of the adult worms to add to breeder bins. It’s a constant shuffle as you say! ❤️🪱🪱

[@Debbie-Keller]

@@RockinWorms exactly! I just finished working thru some really sticky bins. Now they can spread out again.

[@RockinWorms]

@@Debbie-Keller I’m sure they’ll be much happier ❤️🥲

[@cassidywillever2157]

Can sifting ever hurt the cocoons or worms? Like they get crushed against the wire?

[@RockinWorms]

Hello! The cocoons are in a little jelly-like bubble that protects them from harm. You’d have to really squeeze them to hurt the eggs inside. Sifting simply won’t put that kind of pressure on a cocoon. Now with the worms you do have to be a bit more careful/aware. The worms can get hung up on the wire mesh but a gentle brushing motion will dislodge most. Where it gets more delicate is when a worm crawls up into the lip space on the underside of the sifter. They can do this maneuver in a few seconds and get themselves wedged into the crack. The best thing to do is let the worm work itself out. It may take several minutes. Pulling on the worm to dislodge it may damage or even kill the worm. If you’re in the middle of sifting just keep going and give the worm time to work itself out. If you’re at the end of the task, place the sifter on a plate or bin lid or similar and keep an eye on it - eventually the worm will come out. Thanks for the question! Take care!

[@LK-3000]

@@RockinWorms Great advice. I was concerned once when they squeezed into the screening I used to cover the air holes. They're so adept at getting into tiny spaces, aren't they?

[@RockinWorms]

@@LK-3000 Hi again! They sure are! And they do it so fast too - little rascals. I’ve learned to grab them as fast as I can out of the sieve to cut down on them wedging themselves into the cracks 😊

[@cecilmitchell6510]

The sugar water is for the micro organisems signed cecil

[@RockinWorms]

Hi Cecil! Yes the sugar water feeds the microbes with the worms eat directly as well as break food (veggies and bedding) down into teeny tiny pieces that the worms also eat. I do not know if the worms directly suck on or swallow water droplets, sugared or not. That’s an interesting question! Thanks for watching!!

[@johnpierce227]

I mix my Azonmite in my worm chow !

[@RockinWorms]

Hi John! That’s a great way to not forget to add it into the worm bins👍. I know others add it in too. I’m new to using azomite so want to kinda take it slow but I’ll probably start adding it into the chow soon enough. 😊

[@johnpierce227]

@@RockinWorms I like your video s

[@القناص-و7م]

🥀🌹🌺🌸🪱💞👍🥀

[@larrymoss4296]

So you don't sift out your overs and put them in the bin with your breader where it can turn into castins

[@RockinWorms]

Hi Larry! No I don’t. The breeder bin bedding is very moist and doesn’t sift well at all. There’s also a lot of cocoons in the bedding and many would end up in the overs pile. Putting them, as part of the overs, back into the breeder bin would defeat the whole purpose of separating the breeders and their cocoons. What I am able to do however is combine the now new nursery bins a bit. 3 breeder bins turn into 2 nursery cocoon bins (with some adults in there to keep the babies company lol). What I have done in the past,but simply didn’t have time for this go around, is pick out the cocoons, after the breeders were restarted in a new bin, leaving (mostly) empty old bedding (there’s no way I’d get every cocoon!). This bedding I then let dry as needed so I could sift it for castings. The overs would then go into my grow out bins for further processing by the worms. The challenge is this. If I don’t pick out the cocoons immediately they start to hatch. Then any sifting, even just a few days later, would let wisps go into the castings. I’d have to then bait them out over a several week period. At that point, for me, it would be easier and less work for me to not have even gone down that road, the result would be the same by simply letting the cocoons hatch in the now new nursery bin. Does that make sense? This is not to underplay a serious challenge with NOT picking out the cocoons immediately and then sifting for casting after the bedding dries out a bit. I end up with a increasing number of bins due to simple volume of beddings accumulating. I go from 3 breeder bins to 3 breeder bins and 2 nursery bins every 3 weeks! I am trying to come up with solutions to this before I run out of bin storage space. If anyone has ideas please PLEASE comment!

[@GenRN]

Worms use they/them pronouns.

[@RockinWorms]

Hi! Makes sense as they’re hermaphrodites. It works too 🪱❤️.

[@I.am.Mumma.Bear.1]

Probably a better idea to demonstrate the squeeze thing “after” you pull the worms out of it 🪱😖🤣

[@RockinWorms]

Hi Usha! Yea someone else said that too 😳. Oops! Thankfully no worms were hurt in the making in the video. They are amazingly resilient. Those soft bodies can take a lot of unintentional jostling. Thanks for watching!