OMG - I think my girls ate maggots!

[austradork]

Yesterday I noticed my girls we're very interested in a particular patch of grass. When I walked over to investigate I found a dead rat with maggots crawling around its insides.

I'm 90% sure that they were eating them. And I'm also 90% sure they were the ones who killed the rat (it looked like it had been gored by a beak). A few questions:

1) Are my girls at risk for eating a rat?

2) Can they get sick from eating maggots?

3) Is there any reason I should not eat their eggs for a while? I'm paranoid that somehow I will find maggots in the eggs (I know, I know, my boyfriend insists that maggots are not parasites so it simply isn't possible, but STILL!)

 

[patman75]

Yummm. Good protien.

 

[Baymule]

Maggots are gross to us, but harmless to your chickens. They are a good source of protein and chickens like them.

 

[Imp]

There is a very slight risk of botulism from decaying meat or maggots. But that is not likely.

Imp

 

[kasey08]

i think it would okay maggots turn into flys and chickens eat bugs so i'm pretty sure they wouldnt eat something that is harmful

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

Maggots are a great source of protein and birds love them because they are soft bodied & squishy. I wish there was a clean way to get them though. Having them eat from a rotting carcass is....well...yucky.

 

[bobby d]

Yucky!! My girls ate maggots one time as well and nothing happend to them so they should be just fine. Ugh..it's just sooo gross!!

 

[chickfamilyonsleepyhollow]

We had some maggots under a barrel in our yard over the summer and our girls were in thier glory gobbling them up

it was a sight that turned my stomach but they were totally fine

 

[austradork]

Okay, I feel much better. Thanks guys. Kasey08, good point about maggots turning into flies! I'm just going to pretend my chickens ate flies. So much less gag-inducing.

Imp, do you know if a chicken with botulism produces botulism-infected eggs?

 

[Tropical Chook]

You birds will be fine. Some people on here actually make contraptions that hold rotting food that attracts flies so that they have a constant supply of maggots for their birds. If you do a search, I'm sure you'll find something of interest.