Maggots!

[Jaboyd2u]

I know I can not be the only one woth this problem. My quail make a mess there food gets thrown on the ground and flies get o nit making baby flies... maggots. How do I contol the problem? I thought about moving an ant bed under my quail. Wonder if that would keep the maggot population down? It is very nasty. I have all kinds of traps for flies fly paper I do not want to put anything toxic down because I have chickens running around but they don't seem to be eating enough of the extra food? Any Ideas?! I am willing to try just about anything... at this point.

 

[calgal98]

Quote:
You need some chickens under the coop! They love maggots. Just give a couple access to the area and they will clean it right up!

I just read that you DO have chickens running under there. Yikes, don't know what to tell you. How about DE under the cage? Thats supposed to be a natural pesticide.

 

[Jaboyd2u]

I just read that you DO have chickens running under there. Yikes, don't know what to tell you. How about DE under the cage? Thats supposed to be a natural pesticide.

What is DE? I put three chickens in there and they did eat but soon got bored. I need to rid them now. I just read about boiling some water with dog shampoo in it to kill them. I am going to try this....​

 

[calgal98]

DE is diatomaceous earth. Use food grade. I get mine at the feed store. I have to order it, but its still good. Can also be used in a garden for organic pest control.

 

[rancher hicks]

Whats under the quail? Would sand underneath help? Is that all you've got is 3 chickens? What about sprinkleing some table salt on them? I know it will kill them. If you got rid of the most of them that may help.

 

[consdrs]

I want to know why you have so much damp gross food on the ground. can you elevate quail food like for chickens to keep them from making a mess? is it wet?
keep that from happening and it should solve the problem.
Connie

 

[Jaboyd2u]

Whats under the quail? Would sand underneath help? Is that all you've got is 3 chickens? What about sprinkleing some table salt on them? I know it will kill them. If you got rid of the most of them that may help.

I have the quail elevated about three feet off the ground. I tried sand it helped for a little while but not long. I have only three that I can catch to put in the coop with the quail. I have 6 total maybe I should put all them in there for the day.

I want to know why you have so much damp gross food on the ground. can you elevate quail food like for chickens to keep them from making a mess? is it wet?
keep that from happening and it should solve the problem.
Connie

It has been raining here for about five days straight all day, It stopped raining all day an Friday but has been pouring every afternoon about 11:30 on until 3-5. I do not have that much food down maybe a pile about the size of a dinner plate about 2 inches deep...it was i tried the chicken thing they would only eat the food. I do not have ther food elevated I really don't think that would work, because I have there food sitting inside a tin trying to keep as much in the pen as possible. I tried the boiling water it has seemed to work?​

 

[wilds of pa]

I don't allow my chickens under my quail pens just encase of moldy feed plus i don't want them eating quail feces along with the feed that falls. also some chickens will peck at Lil quail feet and possibly injure your quail

I use hydrated lime under my pens which gets very hot and does burn anything that will come in contact with it, bottoms of quail pens are about 2 to 2-1/2 feet above ground and have wire enclosing to keep chickens and other preds out from underneath the pens....no flys around with that stuff, no smell either, then right before winter we will clean all that good stuff up and till into the food plots for the following spring planting season....

~Wilds~

 

[Appaloosa Hill Farm]

Quote:
Thanks for this post. I'm soon moving my quail out into a large elevated cage and was wondering what would happen with the mess underneath. Where do you get your hydrated lime and how much do you put under the cage?

 

[wilds of pa]

Chickadeedle, we get it right at are feed store were we purchase are poultry feeds, however they do serve the farming community here and you'll want to look for a place that sells supplies like that,

of course you could try standard pulverized lime which is used on lawns and it may work as well, may not be as good but should still deter some flys for you and any light odors and its not hot and chickens can walk on the lawn type without burning there feet which i sometimes use this type in a smelly runs at times during the mud season..

Just spread a nice white coating underneath when it gets covered up, if using hydrated type were gloves to spread it and a face mask, spread underneath on a nice calm day so the dust doesn't fly around to much..

Hope this helps
~Wilds~