Fermented Feed - Fruit Flies getting into container making maggots

[MasAhora]

I made my first batch of FF and it went well and the chickens started to eat it so all good.
Except for the fruit fly and little maggots that started wriggling around the lid and upper sides after a week. Too gross for me

so I have dumped it all in the pen and cleaned the bucket.

Its warm and humid here so bugs and flies are plentiful.... so I don't want the FF in my house bring more!!

Does anyone have a remedy? I really want to keep providing FF along with dry feed.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

Gnats and fruit flies were terrible here this summer, too. I have a number of different ferments going at any one time, so I use a breathable cover to keep the bugs out. Depending on how large your container is, you could use a towel with a rubber band or something similar to secure it - this would probably work best for 5 gallon buckets. For smaller containers, I just use a paper towel secured with a rubber band. I keep my FF in the basement laundry room (the floor drain is handy in case of spills, but the primary reason is that the temperature stays consistent in there) with the lid on, but not airtight.

 

[MasAhora]

Thanks for the info. I am now trying a smaller container that is easier with the idea of a towel and rubber band. My first was a large bin that held 35kg of feed (I am no good with American gallons).

I am thinking that a few way smaller containers might be the right approach. If/when the little maggots appear I can leave the lid and container in the chicken run. Maybe the chooks will clean up the wriggling uglies for me and enjoy the treat before it turns bad for them.... I am thinking there may be a win win with smaller containers and a hot humid summer. I can't get meal worms here so maybe little fruit fly maggots are an easy treat.

 

[Beekissed]

Yes! Those are just free protein! Why prevent them? If not wanting them, you can always rubber band a piece of screen over your bucket top. Fruit flies are drawn to the smell of the acetic acid that is a byproduct of the fermentation process and that's only natural. It helps if you make smaller batches and feed the batch out quicker in that manner. In the hottest part of summer my feed consumption goes way down and fermentation speeds way up, so I make smaller but more frequent batches to compensate.

 

[balloonflower]

I like the idea of the free protein....it's just the nearly inhaling them every time I go to stir my ff that I have a problem with.

 

[MasAhora]

Do not laugh at me but...I started a new FF batch in a smaller tub and now... I am eagerly looking every hour for fresh maggots to feed my chicks and hens!

Creepy yukky maggoty things are now interesting to me.... they equal FREE feed that is fun and good for the chooks. I am learning, I am not just not as quick as my chickens

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

You go!

 

[azygous]

My sentiments precisely. This was my rationale when, a short while ago I mixed some grits to cook and found weevils in it. Ate it weevils and all. Protein - yum!