Converting Predator Carcasses into Chick Feed

[The Moonshiner]

You buy me one for birthday?

No but the used smaller ones are getting more affordable.

Oh, god, the mental imagery

I only have a small one for small prey.
Now an industrial size and a cow carcass may be a sight to see.

 

[Helloworld]

From the Merck Manual,

“Avian botulism is not contagious in that it is not spread from bird to bird. Instead it is spread to birds through their consumptions of maggots infected with the toxin.[6] Maggots become infected by feeding on substrates and organic material that host the Type C BoNt. Huge die offs caused by BoNt are the result of this maggot cycle. When an infected bird dies the maggots that feed off of it become infected themselves. These maggots are in turn consumed by additional birds. Thus with every infected carcass brings several infected maggots which increases the number of birds that can contract the disease.[6] In this way massive outbreaks can occur.”

 

[centrarchid]

I am looking into this, see link below. To my understanding the carcass needs to be the source for the microbe, not the flies depositing eggs. The raccoons are dying from physical trauma rather than an infection.

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul...f-botulism-in-poultry?query=maggots botulinum

If an animal in poor health is taken, then it will be burned instead.

 

[jlwquilter]

Are the maggots more nutritious than the carrion meat itself? What I’m wondering is if it would be just as beneficial with less botulism risk to butcher the animal and feed the meat and organs directly, freezing portions for later consumption. And less stink of rotting meat so less generally unpleasant to humans as well as not luring in other predators/carrion eaters.

I don’t know anything about this so if this is a stupid question forgive me and still answer it - lol!

 

[centrarchid]

Are the maggots more nutritious than the carrion meat itself? What I’m wondering is if it would be just as beneficial with less botulism risk to butcher the animal and feed the meat and organs directly, freezing portions for later consumption. And less stink of rotting meat so less generally unpleasant to humans as well as not luring in other predators/carrion eaters.

I don’t know anything about this so if this is a stupid question forgive me and still answer it - lol!

The maggots and pupae, being small, are easy for juvenile chickens to consume. If the juvenile chickens where to peck on carcass directly, then I would have to cut it open and the process is likely to be slow. Slow means maggots again. Could subdivide and freeze. Only 17 birds would be eating on the carcasses that could easily be coming in at a rate the birds have no hope of keeping pace with. Chunking or grinding the carcass could be done but still operating with issue of how much the birds can consume and how I might compensate with other components of the diet (i.e. lower protein complete feed).

My dogs are running off other predators, especially in location where carcasses are being concentrated. I am trying to make so they are less effective against the carrion eaters. Remember, my dogs eat the carrion as well.

 

[jlwquilter]

Well couldn’t you just bury, burn or garbage excess carrion? Put out what you think the birds and dogs will eat for the day and toss the rest that’s too much to freeze/keep.

Not having to butcher and getting food from the whole carcass in ready to eat bite size morsels does have its appeal.

Back to your set up. The carrion goes on top of the ‘cage’. The cage keeps the birds from being under the carrion. Do the maggots crawl that far after they drop to the ground to pass thru the cage walls? I mean I guess they do as that’s how you’ve got it but wow, I didn’t think it’d be so far.

 

[centrarchid]

Well couldn’t you just bury, burn or garbage excess carrion? Put out what you think the birds and dogs will eat for the day and toss the rest that’s too much to freeze/keep.

Not having to butcher and getting food from the whole carcass in ready to eat bite size morsels does have its appeal.

Back to your set up. The carrion goes on top of the ‘cage’. The cage keeps the birds from being under the carrion. Do the maggots crawl that far after they drop to the ground to pass thru the cage walls? I mean I guess they do as that’s how you’ve got it but wow, I didn’t think it’d be so far.

I know the maggots of interest can go a good 18 inches from a carcass in the ground before they settle down to pupate so some of those will be accessible to birds reaching through wires. I can also move cage over a few feet making so the birds have total access. Some of these details will be worked out over time.

 

[jlwquilter]

I know the maggots of interest can go a good 18 inches from a carcass in the ground before they settle down to pupate so some of those will be accessible to birds reaching through wires. I can also move cage over a few feet making so the birds have total access. Some of these details will be worked out over time.

Keep us posted as you tweak it. I’m sure I’m not the only one interested in how this progresses for you.

 

[SueT]

I trapped a raccoon last night, and neighbor brought pellet gun over and killed it. He lent us the gun to use in case we catch more, definitely going to buy our own now. I am not interested in doing a maggot experiment tho. So the raccoon got a tractor ride to our back 40 pasture and was left as an offering to the scavengers or a warning to other chicken killers and tomato stealers. This one has killed its last chicken.
Thanks for telling me that pellet guns would be sufficient!

 

[aart]

I trapped a raccoon last night, and neighbor brought pellet gun over and killed it. He lent us the gun to use in case we catch more, definitely going to buy our own now. I am not interested in doing a maggot experiment tho. So the raccoon got a tractor ride to our back 40 pasture and was left as an offering to the scavengers or a warning to other chicken killers and tomato stealers. This one has killed its last chicken.
Thanks for telling me that pellet guns would be sufficient!
View attachment 1859993

Did he put the barrel into the crate...seems risky otherwise, tho I've never shot anything in a crate Iv'e always wondered.