alih Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 have just posted on the chicken health bit as iggy seems to have a distended crop and have read somewhere that feeding them maggots will help - does anyone know where on earth I can buy white maggots? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 fishing shop??? otherwise, you could google I suppose bit it might be a bit nasty...! good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alih Posted July 2, 2008 Author Share Posted July 2, 2008 yes will have a look thanks - fishing shops will be first on the list! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutrix Farmers Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Urgh! dried mealworms are bad enough!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alih Posted July 2, 2008 Author Share Posted July 2, 2008 i know - have not tracked anywhere nearby that sells maggots either and can't face the idea of them arriving through the post!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieSB Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Someone posted a link to an online shop that sold maggots mail order (I don't live near a fishing shop). Hopefully that person will be along again soon... but I will try to see if I saved the link in the meanwhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alih Posted July 2, 2008 Author Share Posted July 2, 2008 thanks - have found somewhere that does them mail order but would quite like some asap rather than waiting for such a yucky delivery! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieSB Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 have found somewhere that does them mail order Oh, cool -- where? please! I cannot find the link I saved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alih Posted July 2, 2008 Author Share Posted July 2, 2008 called wormsdirect!! appetizing huh!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieSB Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 called wormsdirect!! appetizing huh!? ah yes, brilliant, thanks http://www.wormsdirectuk.co.uk/ how easy to remember! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Any angling shop will sell them.. You want the undyed variety. They cost about £1.50 for half a pint. They keep for about a week in the fridge. My hens love them as a treat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhapsody Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I found some in the bottom of my wheelie bin... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tottya Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 My wheelie bins only get collected on a 2 week cycle and in the summer months are prone to maggots Now I know I can feed them to my chooks all is good! Bring on the maggots!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alih Posted July 2, 2008 Author Share Posted July 2, 2008 maggots on order - will be delivered tomorrow supposedly - imagine what a thrill to find them on my doorstep! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janepie33 Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 My 17 year old son went fishing today and stored a huge pot of maggots in my fridge overnight. He brought loads home and gave them to the chickens (and fish) for a treat. They seemed to love them more than grapes (the chickens, not the fish). He bought them from the local angling shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Or you could just leave your bin open for a couple of days. We end up with a good supply of free maggots if the kids don't remember to put a lid on the compost bin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julia55 Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 I feed mine maggots quite often as a treat. They love them - but when one of mine had a crop problem I soaked the maggots in cod liver oil first and the problem was solved. Well worth the £1.50 and any fishing job stocks them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharonX Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 What do the maggots do to help the crop then? I'm not liking the idea o maggots at all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julia55 Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 I think I read somewhere that they eat through the blockage/obstruction in the crop - yuk - but it does make sense if you think about it. Presumably once they meet with the stomach acids they are killed off. I stand corrected if anyone has a more scientific idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alih Posted July 3, 2008 Author Share Posted July 3, 2008 wow julia55 that's really good to know - will try doing the same....sounds hideous but if it works I will be so pleased. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julia55 Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Good luck - I hope it works and after the first time you will be hand-feeding them maggots like an old pro. The first time is the worst - and for the crop problem don't forget to soak them in cod liver oil first. That's fairly inexpensive bought from a supermarket.. I just doused the maggots in it and then hand-fed the poorly chicken (wearing surgical gloves of course!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhapsody Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Maggots, like flies, liquefy their food before consuming it. So they go to work on whatever's blocking the crop and clear it. I've used this trick a few times and occasionally I'll give them as a treat and clear out. An easy way to get maggots is to leave a bowl of cat food out in this warm weather- two days later the bowl will be jumping around your kitchen, just serve the lot to the chook/s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alih Posted July 3, 2008 Author Share Posted July 3, 2008 oh I can't wait!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutrix Farmers Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 An easy way to get maggots is to leave a bowl of cat food out in this warm weather- two days later the bowl will be jumping around your kitchen, just serve the lot to the chook/s. Feeling quite queasy now and as for keeping them in the fridge....... A box of dry mealworms in the feed bin is about as much as I can cope with! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alih Posted July 6, 2008 Author Share Posted July 6, 2008 mm well thought in that case you might like me to share today's little experience - my maggots arrived by post and I have been feeding them to Iggy in olive oil to help her crop - the others have tucked into the oil-free variety too. But today I put some in 2 dishes to take to t he garden then came upstairs to get something and forgot about them - came downstairs to find the little wrigglers all over my work surface and kitchen floor - some had even made it into the playroom! Luckily all my family were out as I suspect my teenage daughters might have had a fit and had to msn or text, like, all their friends, like NOW, to tell them how GROSS it all was, like! But I swept them up and fed them to the girls who loved them all the same! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
