Cricket Production Rates

How Many Crickets Can I Produce…You May Be Surprised How Little Space you Need

Below we outline the production rates for two cricket breeding systems for both the hobbyist and commercial production. With over 14 years experience breeding insects for private use and commercially, we have tried every method available….and come up with our own proprietary methods. Picking the right method is is essential to:

  • Reduce how much maintenance you do
  • Maximize the number of crickets you produce

How To Breed Crickets

Low Maintenance Cricket Breeding Methods

Preventing Pests

Commercial Cricket Breeding

Cricket Production Rates

Cricket Breeding Books

Free Cricket Breeding Course

1) Hobbyist or Small Scale Commercial 

  • Most hobbyist often breed crickets using a large scale commercial method (described below) which requires much more maintenance (daily spraying, container rotation, daily feeding) which is why most people give up after a few months.
  • “The Zega Substrate Cricket Breeding System” is a low maintenance and productive method that is well suited for Private or Small Scale Commercial Production”. To learn more about this breeding method visit our Better Cricket Breeding Methods page.
  • Each substrate breeding container will generate approximately 1 standard pet store cricket container per week (approximately 33 large crickets/container).
  • The waste wet food generated from an average family (two adults, two kids) can produce sufficient crickets to support approximately four containers. Four breeding containers will feed approximately 3 to 12 adult bearded dragons (depending on cricket consumption rate chosen).
  • We recommend this system for someone who wants to breed up to 8 standard pet store cricket containers per week. This equates to approximately 250 large crickets/week or 1000 large crickets/month. For larger quantities of crickets we generally recommend using the Zega Batch Breeding System described below.
  • See below for details about how many breeding containers can be stored in a small space.
Photo of climate control equipment for a cricket farm. Includes black pedestal fan, black radiant heater, white 360 degree fan, cream air conditioner and dehumidifier.

We have spent over a decade refining commercial methods to reduce maintenance, time and effort. We did this by creating automated food and water dispensers, efficient container design and streamlined cleaning. Other areas we have overhauled include: pest management, how to grade crickets to various sizes, dispatching, transport and marketing tips and advice.

2) Medium to Large Scale Production 

  • This method is best suited for people who want to produce cricket commercially, or more than 1000 large crickets per month. It requires more maintenance (spraying, container rotation etc) however the production rates are much higher than the method described above.
  • 5-6 grow out containers (does not include breeding containers) produces approximately 0.6-1.2kg large crickets per week depending of heating method, setup and skill level (See below section for more details).
  • Six substrate breeding containers can fit into a 6.6 square foot or 0.6 m2 area. This is achieved with stacked shelving with the following configuration; (3.28 feet wide, 2.0 deep, 5.58 high); (1.0m wide, 0.6m deep, 1.7m high). Two containers are placed on each of the three shelves.
  • If two shelves described above are placed back to back in a middle of a room (not on a wall) you can then store 12 containers in a 13.12 square foot or 1.2 m2 area. As you can see you can get a lot of money making containers in a relatively small area.

Things that Affect Production Rates

Many Factors affect cricket production rates mentioned above. For many years we kept doing things similar and then we changed just one factor and we doubled production. It wasn’t at first obvious…so learning from other peoples experience will save you years in trial and error.

In our consultancy we see a great variation in production rates from breeders. Many businesses assume if you standardize climate control for instance you guarantee good production rates. The reality is that there is a lot of other factors you must address. Our books outline the 5 key principles which form the basis for productive and consistent cricket production.

Below are some of the main considerations which affect production rates:

  • Stocking Densities and Risk Profile- Higher densities (High Risk Profile) will produce more crickets but may require more maintenance and have a higher risk of disease and pests. Some farms which had higher stocking rates were more  susceptible to the virus which devastated US farms.
  • Conversely running a lower density (Low Risk Profile) will require lower maintenance, lower production rates but a lower risk of disease and pests.
  • Breeding Method- as discussed above choosing the right method will affect the amount of maintenance and production rates.
  • Set up– Every farm will have a unique climate, container setup, temperature management and operator skill level.
  • Temperature- is one of the main environmental factors which affects cricket production. Crickets like higher temperatures than most insect species and production will drop if they are not high enough.
  • Breeding Stock- Around 10% of the stock you produce is used as breeding stock to create the next generation. The space this occupies is often overlooked when calculating production rates.
  • Food- High quality food with the right balance of protein, fats and carbohydrates will greatly affect production rates. In same cases switching the diet to high quality feed can double growth rates.
  • Tips and Tricks!- We have streamlined all processes from start to end.

If you need help to set up a commercial insect farm which accounts for the above factors then visit our Commercial Insect Breeding section. We have consultancy and Partnership programs to help people set up insect farms.

Commercial Cricket Breeding Services and Information

We have been breeding insects to Zoos, Wildlife carers, pet stores and the public for over 14 years.  We have articles, books, videos, consultancy and Partnership programs. For Information and advice on commercial production, click Here. Our Cricket Breeding Manual (see below) is the most comprehensive private and commercial breeding guide available.

We can show you how to build a profitable insect business. See below how you can follow our latest project converting a 20 foot (6m) caravan into a profitable insect business.

The Worlds most Comprehensive Cricket Breeding Guide

With around 160 pages and 240 color photos our insect breeding book series set the benchmark for insect breeding. To see why our book is the most comprehensive book you can buy on the topic, click Here  or to purchase click Here. In this link we will provide you with:

  • A Book sample with includes the books contents. 
  • 50 techniques our books will provide you to save time and effort.
  • How to access free videos when you purchase the books
  • How to breed crickets and cockroaches using the same materials.  

New Low Maintenance Breeding Methods Are Now Available

Innovative methods now mean you can breed crickets that:

  • Needs no active management (No spraying, no rotating crickets etc);
  • Collects waste for you;
  • Only requires one container  (not 7 like conventional methods);
  • Food/ water dispensers  which attends to your insects for 7-14 days or more;
  • Requires only 3 minutes maintenance every 7-14 days (less time than standing in line at the pet store)
  • Each 20 Gallon (70 L) breeding container can produce one container of adult crickets from a pet store each week.
  • The average 2 child family can produce enough scrap vegies to feed 4 breeding containers, which is enough crickets to feed 4-12 bearded dragons (depending of feeding rate). That’s around $1400/year (Au) you are currently throwing away!!.

For more details click Here.

Free Cricket Breeding Course

For more information on how to breed crickets, get your free 9  lesson  today.  This training course has videos and lots of useful information which covers:

  • How a conventional cricket breeding system works
  • How our proprietary cricket breeding system works
  • Cricket biology
  • Container design
  • Feeding, gut loading
  • Heating
  • Pest management and lots more…

We are Converting a Caravan into a Profitable Insect Business..

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