How to Raise Maggots for Chooks

Maggots are often associated with the decomposing animal on the side of the road where house flies encircle . However, maggots can be raised from a different fly that makes the process more friendly. The Black Solder fly maggot has several advantages of the house fly maggots. The maggot will feed on green material in a compost pile as well as manure, the Maggot is self harvesting and the soldier fly itself does not interact with humans and produce a pheromone that repels house fly from the area. Building a 3-by-3-feet container to raise your maggots is easy and can be scaled to any level of production.

Things You'll Need

  • Plywood
  • Drill
  • Screws
  • Nails
  • Hammer
  • Foam insulation board
  • 6mil plastic sheeting
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Instructions

    • 1

      Cut six 3-by-3-feet plywood squares. Glue and nail four pieces to make a box without bottom or lead. Install the insulation on the outside of the box using glue or double sided tape. Install a 4-by-3 inch plywood ramp on 2 sides of the box inclined to 30 to 35deg.

    • 2

      Install insulation on one 3-by-3-feet plywood sheet and cover it with thick plastic sheeting and staple it to the back of the plywood. Lay the piece insulation up where you want the maggots to grow and put the previous piece on top with the ramp up.

    • 3

      Drill a 1-inch hole on top of each ramp and glue two small piece of scrap wood forming a cone to force the maggots through the hole. Glue a 2-inch lip on the outside of the box under the hole and put a bucket under it to collect the maggots.

    • 4

      Cover the last 3-by-3-feet plywood sheet with insulation and plastic sheeting to make the lead. Dump your compost material in the box and spray some water. Spray just enough for the material to be release a few drops of water when quizzed in your hand.

    • 5

      Purchase for a store or capture solder fly maggots from an existing compost pile and introduce them in your bin.