Worms or maggots?

[danlan]

I was cleaning my mini coop and found these gross worms. This is the area where the chickens sleep and there was a lot of poop there.

They were white, fat, and about half an inch long. Wriggled around a lot.

They weren't anywhere else in the coop.

I have 4 chickens in this coop. They are 9 week old pullets. I got them a week and a half ago from a farm (who in turn got them from a hatchery). I've been quarantine them in this coop before they join the main flock.

Chickens all seem fine.

Are these worms? Or maggots?

 

[DobieLover]

Maggots.

 

[danlan]

Maggots.

So, only disgusting and not indicative of a parasite issue?

 

[coach723]

That's correct. They are laid by some kind of flying insect, in the droppings after the droppings are deposited. I would recommend cleaning up the droppings more often to prevent them. I have poop boards under the roosts that get scraped daily, because, yes, they poop a lot overnight while roosting. Some people use sand or PDZ, those will help dry out the droppings, making them less attractive to the insects. I prefer the poop boards as it doesn't cost me more in another material to keep on hand.

 

[danlan]

That's correct. They are laid by some kind of flying insect, in the droppings after the droppings are deposited. I would recommend cleaning up the droppings more often to prevent them. I have poop boards under the roosts that get scraped daily, because, yes, they poop a lot overnight while roosting. Some people use sand or PDZ, those will help dry out the droppings, making them less attractive to the insects. I prefer the poop boards as it doesn't cost me more in another material to keep on hand.

Thanks! Appreciate the explanation!