A lot depends on how many worms you initially put in there. If feed abd cinditios have been right, you should have about 3 times as many lbs of worms you put in initially.

I have a similar set-up (Worm Factory), and I just recently added a 2nd tray.

I had been feeding the worms about 1/2c at a time, starting in one corner and then adding food when needed in an "S" formation around the bin (about 9 different locations: 3x3), and I actually repeated the rotation twice.

After that, I noticed that there was no more visible food, although I could still see cardboard, shredded paper, newspaper, etc. But for the most part, things looked pretty much like compost & the tray looked about 2/3 -3/4 full, so I decided to add tray #2.

Honestly, tray #2 has been a little problematic. The worms don't seem to want to move up from the first tray! And, I fell into the newbie pattern of continuing to add food at the rate I had been accustomed to, which resulted in way too much moisture, mites, etc. When I look at the first bin, I see all kinds of big, healthy worms, but in the second tray, I see all kinds of big heaps of uneaten food & a ton of baby worms.

Anyway, I think I added the tray at the appropriate time, but I think the worms would rather stay in the composted stuff rather than move up to the "fresh" food. But I'm not too worried yet, because there are so many babies, I think it'll all work out...I hope!

Did you get any adult worms moving up at all? I think I'm going to not feed them for a week or two before I add the 2'nd tray to let them process the food thats still in the 1'st tray. When your first tray was mostly composted where most of the worms near the surface of the bedding?

I don't remember the worms ever being near the surface of the bedding. When I added the second tray, I just remember thinking that the tray looked very full & the contents looked like something I could very easily spread on my garden/potted plants.

And although I don't see many adult worms in the second tray, when I lift the tray I do see a lot of adult worms "dangling" from the tray--like in almost every little hole available.

Maybe it's just that the worms move downward so quickly that by the time I move the shredded paper aside to take a peek, they've already managed to get 1/2-way down to the first tray...I'm not sure. The only thing I've noticed is that the food in the second tray does not seem to be consumed as quickly as it was in the first tray.

sherm:
when did you set up your bin?
I set up mine around mid December with 1.5 lbs of EF and it's been very very slow. I doubt I even have 50 worms in there now.
Otis.

Otis,
I set my WF mid-Jan with 1 lb of EF. There are many, many babies of all different sizes in there now & lots of adults in the lower tray.

Why do you think your worm population is dwindling?

Sherm,
Are your worms moving into the second tray yet? I put some compost from my hot pile in my second tray and about two days later I saw a few worms in it. Let me know how yours is doing.

eric,
I do have adults in the 2nd tray now!! And tons of babies.

Last summer, I shredded & froze some zucchini from my garden (to later make bread with). I pulled a bag out of the freezer a few days ago, thawed it, and put it in the worm bin...two days later, all you could see was a mass of worms & not a trace of the zucchini!

I'm not sure if the zucchini was what finally enticed them up to the 2nd tray, or if it just takes awhile for them to move up. Anyway, am pleased to know they're so fond because I always have way too much zucchini.

I can't believe you had worms move up after only 2 days! That's impressive.

Sounds like worms love zucchini. I know that the longer something is frozen the faster it decomposes when it thaws out.

I think my worms were attracted to the compost that I put in because it had a lot of bacteria on it. Plus I didn't feed them for a week and a half before I added the 2'nd tray so some of the worms were probably looking for food.

I appreciate the comments about the Worm Wranch Bin. I have never had a stacking bin before and wondered how "happily" they would want to go up to the second level? The comments are a big help!! Thanks!