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Maggots

Discussion in 'Predators and Pests' started by freerangethought, Jun 10, 2011.

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  1. Jun 10, 2011 #1
    freerangethought

    freerangethought Out Of The Brooder

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    Hello everyone,

    I don't mean to be a pest myself, but I have a continuing maggot problem and I need some advice. I love this site, forum and the people here...it's truly addicting!

    I know very little about raising chickens...I'm learning as I go and I want to do everything the "right" way for the chickens.

    I have a continuing maggot problem that you can read about here:
    http://chickenscratchfreerangethoughts.blogspot.com/2011/05/fly-larvae.html?m=0
    and any suggestions would be much appreciated.

    How can you keep maggots away without completely cleaning the coop every day? Are pesticides safe to use around chickens? And am I supposed to be okay with the maggot infestation in the compost pile? I mean, they're supposed to be there, right?

    I just don't know how to fight this living in such a wooded area in the heat of Louisiana. I didn't have problems like this in the cooler months.

    Thank you in advance!
     
  3. Jun 10, 2011 #2
    itsy

    itsy Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Hey! Welcome to the forum. Cute blog layout; I like that.

    I'm confused as to your setup? So you have the chickens in something like a dog crate? And then that's sitting on another box? I understand that you're trying to deter a predator, but I don't believe that would work. How long until they're in the coop? Are there other chickens in the coop preventing you from putting these guys in there?

    Could you sort of - tractor it? If you move it around frequently, maybe you wouldn't have such a fly problem?

    The chickens don't step in where the maggots are growing? (maggots is a TERRIBLE word, I agree) I'm surprised they aren't eating them.

    [​IMG]
     
  5. Jun 10, 2011 #3
    thekid

    thekid Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Quote:yeah usually they would eat them oh and [​IMG]
     
  7. Jun 11, 2011 #4
    Bear Foot Farm

    Bear Foot Farm Overrun With Chickens

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    The eggs won't hatch it the droppings are dry.

    Put a layer of lime or DE under the wire where the droppings are falling.

    You could also mix in some Sevin dust
     
  9. Jun 13, 2011 #5
    freerangethought

    freerangethought Out Of The Brooder

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    May 26, 2011
    Quote:It's just a bad setup. I didn't intend for them to be in there for more than a week, but new and more pressing issues have delayed the building of the coop. We just built a tractor for them yesterday and I hope you're right, that by moving it we will have less of a problem! Thank you for the reply.

    The weather has been rainy and hot and I guess the combination is ideal for fly reproduction! The chickens don't come into contact with them, otherwise they'd gobble them up!

    I hope to find some DE locally before the coop is finished so I can dust it down.

    Speaking of the more pressing issues, we have honey bees in our house wall! Coop delays again! They are very safe, happy and secure in their new temporary home while we deal with another "issue" in the meantime.

    Wish me luck!

    And thank you again!
     
  11. Jun 13, 2011 #6
    freerangethought

    freerangethought Out Of The Brooder

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    May 26, 2011
    Quote:Thank you very much...trying to find food grade DE locally.
     
  13. Jun 13, 2011 #7
    bryan99705

    bryan99705 Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Switch to sand for litter and plan in some drainage, if the area is dry, the flys will move elsewhere. Maybe go oversize on the roof to keep the rain out better. How's the ventilation, moving air will also carry away the moisture and help dry things out
     
    Last edited: Jun 13, 2011
  15. Jun 13, 2011 #8
    ailurophile23

    ailurophile23 Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Good luck with the bees - having them in the house wall is not good but if you contact your local bee keepers association, I am sure someone would come remove the colony for you.

    As for the flies and maggots, drying out the waste and the ground with either sand or DE are terrific ideas. I am surprised you have maggots in your compost - we never get them there as the compost pile is just too hot. You may need to do something to heat up your compost. Or it may just be that you are in a terrifically humid area and you are going to have maggots.
     
  17. Jun 13, 2011 #9
    SentryFE

    SentryFE Out Of The Brooder

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    May 30, 2011
    I use DE in the coop and once a week I over dust a little and every two week I clean out the coop. I do not have a problem. I fact I get very few flies in the coop.
     
  19. Jun 21, 2013 #10
    janiewilson

    janiewilson New Egg

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    Ok, I'm a newbie as well. We have a horrible maggot issue and until the bigger coop is built, we have to deal with this somehow! What is "DE"? & can it be put on the coop floor that the chickens walk on??
     
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