White Khaki Cambells stopped laying and won't restart

[beach chick]

... is it possible that if they are kept damp they could rehydrate and 'resurrect' themselves??

I'm sorry, that sounds quite insane, but I have a packet from wiggly wigglers in the shed, and I am quite convinced that the little blighters are moving when I open the packet. Am I loopy, or is this possible?

[Jules.]

They are most certainly dead.

 

It has taken me 18 months to pluck up the courage to pick then up with my hands

[dancing cloud]

They're definitely dead , but they do soften up a bit if they get soaked.

 

I'm still not hugely keen on handling them, but the monsters love them so I have to get on with it

[beach chick]

best get my glasses checked then... d*mn bifocals!!!

[skye]

I've suspected that myself beach chick in the past!

 

I think because they are so slippery even when dry that they rub against each other when you take a handful and seems like they're moving of their own accord.

 

At least the hens like them!

 

skye

[stoice]

I'm fine with holding the dried ones (Even scrunch them up in my hands to make them go further) It's the live ones that are especially when you feel them crawling across your hand... s"Ooops, word censored!"e, s"Ooops, word censored!"e, s"Ooops, word censored!"e, trust me, you'd know if they were alive or not

[Old Speckled Hen]

I know what you mean

The few that escape, when I decant them for the chooks, only to reappear when I sweep the floor in the utility room always look alive to me

If you were a celebrity you might have to eat them!!!!

[Janty]

You try breeding them. Hubby does it all for me. I hate them. Can't even pick them up when they are dried (big whoosy woman that I am). We have got four breeding boxes at the moment (soon to expand to six).

 

[Mutrix Farmers]

You try breeding them. Hubby does it all for me. I hate them. Can't even pick them up when they are dried (big whoosy woman that I am). We have got four breeding boxes at the moment (soon to expand to six).

 

 

Ooooh no!! The very thought of live ones in my own garden (I assume he breeds them away from the house) makes me go all goose-bumpy.

 

I often have to check the box of dried ones as I'm convinced they are moving. Son won't even pick up a sealed box of them!!

[Janty]

You try breeding them. Hubby does it all for me. I hate them. Can't even pick them up when they are dried (big whoosy woman that I am). We have got four breeding boxes at the moment (soon to expand to six).

 

 

Ooooh no!! The very thought of live ones in my own garden (I assume he breeds them away from the house) makes me go all goose-bumpy.

 

I often have to check the box of dried ones as I'm convinced they are moving. Son won't even pick up a sealed box of them!!

 

Oh no, these are on the underfloor heating in the conservatory.

In sealed boxes, I hasten to add!

 

Apparently they breed 'with more vigour' when warm.

Don't blame them.

[Mutrix Farmers]

 

Sorry, I don't do wiggly things like maggots and larvae and the thought of them anywhere near the house makes me feel quite poorly. You must love your chickens very much to put up with that.

[Janty]

I just try not to think about it. As I say, at least they are in a sealed container.

[C&T]

Ever since I read this I have been CONVINCED my pot of dried mealworms is alive...

 

One escaped onto the work top today, and I am sure it jumped all by itself...

 

I must stop reading this forum... Well, untill the next time I login anyway!

[Janty]

[Valkyrie]

They do ping everywhere don't they?

I also have live ones that I have been breeding - word of warning though, the other day when I was cleaning them out I had a really bad asthma attack. I have been aware of an allergy due to non-stop sneezing in the past, but as I only had a one boxful to clean I didn't bother to wear the mask and goggles. This time it really caught me and I had to use OH's puffer. Not had asthma since I was 10. So I shall start phasing them out and then just stick to the dried ones.

[Chickchick]

... is it possible that if they are kept damp they could rehydrate and 'resurrect' themselves??

I'm sorry, that sounds quite insane, but I have a packet from wiggly wigglers in the shed, and I am quite convinced that the little blighters are moving when I open the packet. Am I loopy, or is this possible?

If you manage to bring mealworms back from the dead, you will make yourself a fortune......

[jlo]

My poor mum thought that she was going mad the other day. She had come up from giving the girls some dried mealworms and said that she was convinced that one of the worms was alive as it was wriggling. I dismissed it but said something along the lines of "yeah - whatever!" (Much easier usually than arguing.)

 

Then I replaced the dried ones with some live ones in the same tin. They were left outside so were getting a bit - well - frozen! Mum went down and opened the tin and saw them all lethargically moving. She didn't dare tell me as she thought that I still had dried ones in there and that I would think that she was going a bit doolally.

 

It was only when I made some comment about how the cold wasn't suiting the mealworms that she tentatively asked, "Oh, they were live ones were they!?"

[Guest]

i don't mind the dry ones at all, they smell sort of nutty and I'm tempted to have a little nibble myself (but haven't, yet!)