Smelly maggots

For all your questions about diet and food for your finches
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davally
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Posts: 19
Joined: 17 Mar 2016, 00:57
Location: Perth W.A.
Location: Perth WA

I’m from Perth and have recently started to try my hand at producing maggots.
My procedure is as follows: I make a mix of four parts of flaky bran to one part of milk powder.
I feed them twice a day. After the second day I remove the maggot mix to a larger container for another day of feeding.
The mixture with the maggots in it smells really bad from the time I place it into the larger container and also all the
Maggots are trying to get out of the container.
It smells vinegary and off so I’m throwing it all out each time as I dont want to take a chance feeding my birds with something that smells bad.
What am I doing wrong, I really need some help please.
I’ve started to make the mixture drier because there was a milky water on the bottom of the container.

Many thanks :?
Alison & Dave
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Greg41
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Posts: 586
Joined: 10 Mar 2010, 21:09
Location: Kingsley Suburb of Perth
Location: Kingsley. Suburb of Perth Wa

Hi davally, I'm from Perth { Iluka } if you want to give me a call 9304 1472 I may be able to help you.
You may be using too much milk powder and then it goes sour.
Happy to help.

Cheers
Greg
GDG
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E Orix
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Posts: 2740
Joined: 29 May 2009, 23:30
Location: Howlong on NSW/Vic Border 30km from Albury
Location: Howlong NSW

If your ratio food to flies is good then there shouldn't be any unpopular odours.
Mixture 10 parts Bran to I part Milk Powder, you do not need a lot of M/Powder
Just enough water to make the mixture damp, put some in your hand and squeeze the mix
if you need to force the fluid out you are correct, if it just runs out it is too wet.
The number of flies will dictate how much mix you give them.
This can be governed by a smaller or bigger container for the mix. Too much food will most likely turn sour,
as it won't be eaten
I leave the containers in my fly box for two days, when they are removed from the box the contents are tipped
into a larger bowl. I then put some of the new mix on TOP of the maggots.
By putting it on top they will rise to the moisture. If you put it in first it may sit on the
bottom and become sour.
You really need a humming mass to be successful if not a smaller feed bowl.
If done properly you can feed them the out direct to the birds.
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Craig52
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Posts: 4979
Joined: 11 Nov 2011, 19:26
Location: victoria

I agree with E Orix, but we are only putting a medium in the fly cage for the flies to lay their eggs and then hatch not really to feed them to full size. I use way less milk powder in the medium container and very little water in the same medium,just enough to keep it moist for a couple of days in the fly cage. I also poke 10mm holes right down to the bottom of the container so the flies can go down and lay their eggs in the wettest part of the medium.
I also remove the container out of the fly cage and grow out in a kitty litter tray, the more open surface area the better so it doesn't get too wet and smell. Depending on how many maggots you have it will give out an ammonia smell with a good batch but it can be controlled by just adding dry bran with with milk powder and no water. Craig
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davally
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Posts: 19
Joined: 17 Mar 2016, 00:57
Location: Perth W.A.
Location: Perth WA

Thanks to all for the advice . I will try your reccommendations..
Davally
Alison & Dave
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MuzzaD
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Posts: 99
Joined: 25 Jan 2016, 13:50
Location: Perth WA

All advice above good. There is also a good YouTube from Sam Davis that pictorially shows you good practice. Follow up with Greg as well as he has a good setup.
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