Pretty green flys (blow flys)

[phalenbeck]

When I process chickens soon as the innards hit the area flys show up in large quanitys. Pretty green small ones. Where do they come from, and how do they know how to show up at chicken cleaning day. I have few flys here, and no little green ones unless chicken guts are around.

 

[countrygoddess]

That happens to me, too. And the yellow jackets! You know how the innards smell pretty strong... well, the flies and bees are very sensitive to that kind of smell.

Take advantage of those blow flies! Drill 1/4" holes all around a bucket with a lid, even in the bottom, Put a thin layer of dry leaves or fresh moss in the bottom, layer on about two chickens worth of innards (freeze the rest in two-chicken bundles), then layer on more leaves/moss. Hang the bucket from a tripod in the chicken yard. The flies go in, lay eggs, the eggs hatch, the maggots drop out of the holes in search of earth to pupate in. Voila! High protein treat dispenser for your chickens! It only takes about a week to start seeing the maggots. The leaves help to dampen the smell. When I use dried leaves or moss, I can't really even smell it unless I'm right there next to the bucket.

 

[thriftyfarmer]

One way we discourage flies is by reducing the amount of poop in the guts of the chicken we just... ummm... ungutted?

Ahh... better word. Eviscerated.

The day before we slaughter we remove access to feed. We usually start butchering at 9 AM so I pull feed at 9 AM the day before. This gives them at least 24 hours to clean out their GI tract and makes for a much easier and more pleasant time gutting the bird. Less poop in the gut means less smell and less flies.

This is my theory.

Hope this helps!

www.thriftyfarmer.com

 

[countrygoddess]

One way we discourage flies is by reducing the amount of poop in the guts of the chicken we just... ummm... ungutted?

Ahh... better word. Eviscerated.

The day before we slaughter we remove access to feed. We usually start butchering at 9 AM so I pull feed at 9 AM the day before. This gives them at least 24 hours to clean out their GI tract and makes for a much easier and more pleasant time gutting the bird. Less poop in the gut means less smell and less flies.

This is my theory.

Hope this helps!

www.thriftyfarmer.com

Agreed! We do this, too. Not only does it help with the smell, but it makes eviscerating them neater.