Building Sickening MEGA Maggot Feeder - HUNDREDS OF POUNDS OF RAW MEAT!

Thanks to Lyndon for all the delicious trout! lyndonfishhatc...
I collect spoiled meat from my neighbors, hundreds of pounds and suspend it high over top of my back yard trout pond in order to feed them delicious live maggots!
I wasn't sure if our trophy hatchery rainbow trout pond fish from Lyndon would love maggots or not, but the results are surprising!
Maggot Life Cycle
The life cycle of a fly begins when a female lays an egg on a food medium like rotting meat. A female fly can lay up to 150 eggs at a time. Over a period of a few days, the female can make 5-6 batches of eggs. Eggs are deposited in compost, manure and other decomposing organic material. Eggs resemble very small grains of rice.
After 23 hours, the eggs hatch into the first larvae stage known as a maggot. These are legless white insects. They are basically worms with a mouth piece. All they do is crawl around eating voraciously. During the maggot stage, they will molt several times, once at 27 hours and 22 hours, and finally into a pupae at 130 hours.
After feeding, the maggot will find a place to pupate or cocoon into a brown hard shell. This protects the inactive fly. Over the course of three to six days (143 hours), the pupae develop legs and wings, ultimately emerging as full-grown house flies. Within two to three days, female house flies are capable of completing the life cycle and depositing eggs or mating with a female.
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[@TheWoodedBeardsman]

*Whatever you do, don't eat a snack while watching - but do enjoy nature's beauty!*

[@thecarlislehomestead]

😂

[@Mushroom.Madness.]

It's just crawling rice

[@turk3sh]

Eating burgers as I do 🤣

[@RippingLips23]

To late, i was already eating lol 😬🤿

[@johnnyharperscoutstable5386]

Ah. Dude!😆 I was grossed out about the other one you made for fishing 😆

[@livingdead754]

Idea for the earthworms: they want moisture so ideally the bucket would be suspended in the water with which is naturally cooler. As you said they can survive in water for several days so if they dropped into the lower half of the bucket with water that's no problem. The lower half could contain sponge with large holes (inch size) which marries up with the inch size holes in the bottom of the second bucket. The worms will detect the moist sponge but be unable to dig into it and fall out the bottom of the bucket. I'm not an expert but thought it over 😊

[@freedom-fg3ph]

A common method people use to get worms out of the soil is with an electric charge. It doesn't kill them but it makes their environment uncomfortable and they come to the surface. Maybe consider experimenting with a small solar panel with a positive and negative electrode. When the sun comes out, they will probably start to move out of the substrate. Typically they move up, I think that's just their nature. Maybe do an experiment to see how they react and adjust your feeder approach appropriately.

[@spaaggetii]

Worms cannot survive in water. They will drown. When it rains, they come up to the surface to escape the water. Thats why birds etc flock down onto the grass when it rains wating for the worms to expose themselves. Have you ever seen small puddles on the side of the footpath with whitened worms just not moving? They have drowned.

[@emilclaudell]

As other have mentioned, you should look into black soldier flies. They eat just about everything you can throw at them, and you can build a self harvesting system without too much hassle.

[@p38kris]

Thanks for the upload WB

[@jessanddavidboham8014]

I think that is so amazing in ingenuitive of you and very good to do if you have your own ponds and that is so cool I can't wait to see another video

[@MrGoesBoom]

Huh, didn't realize earthworms were an invasive species, always figured they were just one of those critters that were pretty much everywhere naturally

[@IkeCoblentz]

Honey Bees are invasive too. not native to the US

[@LANCEtheBOIL]

Only thing I can think of would be to fill the bucket to the top with dirt and add an electric current that would drive the worms out of the dirt, you'd have to so a lot of testing and the results would probably be instantaneous or at least a lot faster

[@RyanMclain]

Mornin' chris. Have a good one! Thanks

[@SuperPenguin5495]

Had to come back and leave another comment - I like the format of having the entire experiment in a 1 hour video even tho it took like 2 weeks. Would love a go-pro timelapse/ and or a every other day update video for the next month. Then what will you do with the bones? I would suggest biochar

[@TheWoodedBeardsman]

I had more timelapse but YT demonetized the original video for it. I managed to get a bit of it kept in, tight angle, and a bit blurry to compensate for how 'graphic' it was :(

[@brianwieckowicz5551]

1 way to get worms to move is a Electrical current moving through the ground. I know it will bring them up out of the ground. That is how I collect earthworms after it rains.I do not know if you would be able to get them to cross through the holes in the bucket though.

[@thorinhelmersen4000]

Have you tried warming the lid and cooling the lower bucket in order to entice them to the cooler area?

[@aresranger1675]

Chris you may want to checkout rasing solider flies. No smell and the larva eat just about anything you feed them. When the larva mature they leave to turn into flies. The mature larva is not only good for feeding fish chickens and love them as well. Good to see yo back doing videos.

[@nickmuffin1722]

I second this idea. This is really very good setup. I made this in my rooms balcony since my father was afraid it would reek around it. But no, nothing. And the amounts of larvas was so excessive that I was throwing it out of wild song birds as a treat AFTER selling a good portion as pet food ❤

[@basicinfo.9315]

A timer and a worm shocker for the worm feeder..... Wont the bears rip the rope down trying to get the rotten meat?

[@TheWoodedBeardsman]

No bears here.

[@johnnyharperscoutstable5386]

I never liked larva and parasitic worms but earthworms and meal worms I was always okay with. This is a gnarly meat pile you got here😆🐸🍺🔪🔥

[@mattevanswastaken]

You could put something underneath like a tarp. Leave it for a set time and weigh the maggots dropped. Id like to know the average drop per hour in grams.

[@SuperQuickfix1]

Use a solar powered to power a acentric motor ( electric tooth brush) to cause the worm to move through the holes. That way they only drop during the day. Mole evasion

[@stevethoen7860]

Shallower container, it wouldn't be so compact at the bottom. The worms would be able to make it to the bottom in a timely manner as well. Similar to your butter container in the fridge.

[@TheWoodedBeardsman]

Great idea, I'll try that next.

[@chrisgrayson3855]

I used to make worm composting beds and wonder if you put food scraps below…into a tray with lots of holes not little ones but big holes…so as they crawl will fall…egg shells and food scrap type stuff

[@JohnEGoode]

Use less dirt in the bucket for the worms. If you are leaving the lid off the sunlight should repel them out the bottom.

[@aresranger1675]

Chris what are you doing? The bugs that you are throwing in is the solider flies!!!! They are the ones you want to raise they are laying there eggs and the solider files dont eat just the larva do.

[@mrphoto776]

So, most of North America is built on two types of worms - Red Wigglers (smaller size) and Night Crawlers (the large ones you have). In my research for gardening, you need both of them. The red wigglers stay to the top. The Night Crawlers go to the lower soil. If you are trying to get them to go out of the bucket and accidentally into the water, that is going to be hard to do since you will have to try and trick them that they are not low enough in the soil.

[@matthewkauffman6110]

Lost everything but everything was still there

[@timothyhennigan5462]

I had an experience with a bait container that is a pail, with a Styrofoam insert. I filled the insert with bedding, and about 3 dozen worms, used it on one short trip , and went fishing about a week later, all of the worms had migrated up over the edge of the Styrofoam into the plastic pail, or out the air holes in the lid. I don't know why but the extra liner seemed to make them roam. Tim Hennigan Michigan 11/2 /23 8PM

[@TheWoodedBeardsman]

Interesting!

[@ouissandy2806]

F x D2 (mm) = breaking load (BL) in kg. When you take a rope of 500 and bounce a load on it, you double the load. So the rule is times 3.

[@TheWoodedBeardsman]

They lied about the strength of the rope! Thankfully :)

[@TheCaptainbeefylog]

To get a cable/rope across a gap like the pond, use a fishing rod to cast across the gap. Tie the end of the line to some paracord, which then ties off to the line you want to pull across. This is called a "messenger" line. Pull in the fishing line to draw the paracord to you. Then pull the paracord to pull the main line to you. I would have suggested going straight to a 1/4" stainless steel cable and hung the feeder off it by a pair of small pulleys about 15 feet off the ground. Use a fence strainer/cable tensioner/come-along to strain the cable before locking it off. The PVC will abraid the rope and/or vice versa. It's a great idea as a feeder though. Apart from the smell lol!

[@jessebuckley6867]

I was wondering what happened to the pond series! Awesome to see you upload again dude, a 60 minute video too! Thanks for the homestead update definitely full stop

[@TheWoodedBeardsman]

Would have been sooner, but the demonetized this a few weeks ago because it was too graphic LOL. So had to take some of the maggot footage out.

[@jessebuckley6867]

@@TheWoodedBeardsman Typical KZbin BS. I’m sure you’ve been busy editing for Kev in his latest adventures and having a life outside of filming too. Always happy when the content arrives though 👍

[@Tarsan97]

Very interesting challenge. I do not know how Europeans worms will jump in to any water unless you flood their home. The only thing I can think of is to swap type of worms like the water loving asian earthworm. take a look at Dexters world channel, youtube- he do stuff like that. I like to continue think of this.

[@rabbithomesteading3797]

I haven't finished video so maybe you do mention but Red worms are good for composting worm farms. The are a more colonized type of worm. Earth and night crawlers are not good in close setup type communities. Ill edit as I finish video. Edits as I go, Maybe its to packed soil on bottom for worms to get to holes? Looks good half way through! I hope you are reading this.... But solar Lawn lights, attracts moths and such that fall in water for food. Maybe you can solar a bug zapper if such a thing over the pond. But lights do work and no stench. lol

[@Sean-bp6xb]

Your reactions were so genuine that I could actually smell this through my iPad. Gawd! Lol. Watching from Ontario Canada 🎉

[@whiteboi1856]

Awesome video man👍

[@ronal7214]

FInally !! man i swear i´ve been checing on the channel lots of times , ITs been while already , here we go , got the snacks and time for this afternoon routine , eating and watching yo vds , lets gooo

[@spaaggetii]

As someone who works in a worm farm (For compost, bait, fishing etc. The amount of worms you "picked up' is either astonishing or you brought them. It takes alot of feeding, soil + additives etc to get them to come up and stay up. Each worm egg can contain 1000 juveniles. Get some worm beds built. Square beds. Milk Powder, Dry lime, chicken pellets / small dog food and milled pig poo. Straight pig poo is too acidic, so it needs to be milled and get the acidic levels down. On top of the bed, place old carpet, with cracks and drainage and water it often, but not too often to drown them on the sides. The worms will come up to the top as the food is there for the taking. The small "white" juviniles will feed on the wet dog food and milk powder until they are big enough. I am not sure the breed of them black worms you are using, but from my experience they are not the favourite for a lot of fish. (specially when fishing). Unless they are desperately hungry. Red Garden worms are the preferred for fish where I am from. They will eat black worms though. But they are alot tougher. EDIT: water (hose) in the lime milk powder etc before you place the old carpet. SO it can soak and sink into the soil.

[@kkuro7054]

I heard, "Here's the world's largest and most effective maggot feeder" -- and I thought, whoa, why's the W.B. gone to Ottawa and gotten all political suddenly???? (I kid, I kid!) [Edit: BTW, for maggot production, more exposed surface area speeds it up, right? -- so piling the meat in deep layers might not be optimal?]

[@growdocprofesser6105]

Mix newspaper into the bottom container

[@TheWoodedBeardsman]

I do have that, but it doesn't seem to matter.

[@ndafarachaitezvi1139]

The pond looks amazing.Thanks for sharing and taking us along

[@evr4921]

Cool concept. I’d be wearing a surgical mask with Vicks smeared in it. This works, try it. Although you guys being revolted is funny. Thank God there isn’t Smell-a-vision!

[@cyranodemylakai9145]

If the works like the dark, then use a black bucket on the bottom, & cut the bottom of our the bottom bucket. Submerge the bottom inch of the bottom/outer (bottomless) bucket (I'm sure you are where I'm going with this). The worms will crawl down towards the dark, crawl through your holes, & out into the bottomless bucket & drop into the water. Your idea was leading to this idea. You'll have to suspend the whole system over the water. Good luck!

[@davidsgreatadventures]

This is so awesome!! Tell Kevin to get out there and cut those weeds down, they are taking over the buildings.

[@alexkasacous]

Stainless steel cable might be worth considering. I recently restrung my hills hoist clothes line and replaced rusty support rods with steel cable. 3mm cable had a holding weight of more than 250kg, so it might be a possibility for your set up? Lots of people use earthworms for composting, maybe some solutions in that process?

[@ackscratchers6648]

This is a pretty cool concept of earthworm feeding. But I think if you cut off the bottom of the bucket an replace it wit 1/4 inch chicken wire not flat but make it 6 or 8 inches of mesh bottom , I believe as the worms travel they would be more likely to find a hole and crawl out. And to catch my worms I like to take mustard powder and mix it with water so it is runny then I look for worm holes pour a little down and they crawl right out. Good luck. Thanks for sharing. But we definitely need some survival videos soon.

[@jaymannewell]

More holes and holes around the side. Not what my pop called a maggot feeder, we use fly larvae here. One thing i could add is that we use a bit of straw, and some Bran in the bottom. 50/70 cm or so. Theory is the bran slows compaction and it cleans their gut of anything that might make the fish / chooks or whatever sick from other dirt.

[@pdzh]

a cheap winch would do better than ratchet straps for this project, just because of the amount of cable

[@kerbyrosanaes]

best vid i have seen of yours in a long time! the @beardedwoodsman smile back. also huge grates to your lad he wouldn't look at a fish before and now gutting one. by next winter he will be sleeping in a snow hole sucking brains out of squirrel's :) Beardsman is out of hibernation! subscribe or not i don't care!.

[@kingrafa3938]

Thanks for the video Chris!

[@johnnyharperscoutstable5386]

Meat!😆

[@medtech1a]

Worms don’t migrate like maggots they enjoy tempered climates and the depth of that bucket is a scaled down version of what they enjoy. The only way I see it working is place a wide screen on the bucket and place a light layer of grass than your soul to let them filter out.

[@theweasel-uf7dn]

worms will come out the top each night. sawdust mixed with light soil good. ure magot box with woodden bottom bout 9 inch deep max for the worms. if you have manure heep put cardboard egg box just under the top layer each night you will get pile of manure worms. i do this when i am going fishing i get a good hand full of brandlings . they come up at night go down in morn. what is why they stay in the egg box.

[@jakefrickey]

I think the designs that I have seen work have another smaller empty bucket that goes to the bottom with holes along the side and bottom. they go towards the center usually when its warm because that is the coolest point center and deeper. they fall into the holes then can only escape downwards which is their natural reaction if they cannot find anything else. not all will fall in and if kept up on should have leaf cover and cardboard on top to eat but also keep moisture in. I am not sure how often it will need maintenance as that differs per environment But I believe people will switch out buckets weekly or so to allow worms to recover and breed. also smaller holes mean smaller worms fall through and larger mature worms will stay in more often. I have seen people do this with varying success but never done so myself just some a possible solution. also might need some water added once in a while.

[@jimmiemeeks9795]

And your starting a surviving environment u shouldnt attack defer feed them corn meal they will be fat but that's flavor lol appreciate ya learn something new everytime 😁

[@oldinuselesshancox5194]

Vegey scrap where ya want worms to go ??? Very nice post , ya boy is gotten big since that family camping post yrs back 💯👍🤙🖖

[@ryanmeltzer3185]

I'd be impressed if could make worms fall out bottom. Also, the Huntsman said it best about certain poachers.

[@dominicw.g3722]

Haha its funny to see people disgusted with touching maggots in the uk we use them for bait and buy them by the pint 😄 they even come in all different colours

[@jay71512]

Gotta say im shocked to hear eartworms are invasive over there. Thought they were pretty much naturally spread worldwide.

[@ClownOrDie]

The one thing I learned about worms. They love darkness, so how about making the bottom darker than the top. And that should make them want to move down more.

[@jimkeegan6503]

For the worms, I'd use hardware cloth for the bottom, or as many holes as you can put, maybe a few around the rim at the bottom too. I think they're just not hitting a hole, they hit plastic and turn. And if the maggot feeder rope was a loop you could pull both ways from one side like a clothesline. Just need an eyelet on each tree and feed the loop through the PVC pipe. Or maybe secure it to two barrels and make a maggot catamaran. And those were Rove Beetles, probably eating some maggots.

[@TheWoodedBeardsman]

Good ideas!

[@jimkeegan6503]

@@TheWoodedBeardsman got a date for an update?

[@RYN___]

If they don’t have proper ventilation they will find anyway to get out so maybe put rotten food or acidic things so maybe put a lemon in there to.

[@JohnKane-mt6qq]

It’s so wholesome and funny watching you and Holden enjoy just how rank the meat smells 😂

[@skatersam22]

I did think to put holes on the side of the bucket as well as the bottom but I reckon you'd end up with a queue of pigeons sat there dribbling

[@BigBoiBalu]

Wet the Rotten Food. Keep it moist. My green bin could feed your fish for weeks. lol :)

[@shaushaurayray]

Have you thought about black beetle .. there is lots of youtuber gardening that do that for chicken

[@philipkirk6488]

Why don't you try raising wax worms, you don't need to put up with the smell

[@ChirpyMike]

Overloads the feeder on the 1st attempt. Overloads the feeder on the 2nd attempt. Overloads the feeder on the 3rd attempt. Overloads the feeder on the 4th attempt. Hint: it's too heavy.

[@TheWoodedBeardsman]

New ratchets, new rope, newer rope, newer ratchets, and finally lift off. Wasn't going to let that beaver go to waste.

[@michaelraney7763]

I don't want to sound like a pro but put your worms I n contaner 6" 8 " deep with dirt but you you don't want to over croud them but we'll are coming to winter you have to get them in the garage or 8 feet down

[@victoradams4420]

You need to research black soldier flys. They can be self harvesting.

[@timtowne6757]

Not video related but thanks for teaching me about maple sugar gonna try it to smoke some salmon

[@timpike1616]

maybe try adding 1/4 inch wire mesh on the bottom of the bucket, if you keep the dirt in at the same time

[@jonathancairy8300]

I know it works well if you use shredded wet news paper as an additive to the your dirt and peat moss.

[@max16]

umm.. i know you want it to be natural and all that. but in the end. why not just get a solar powered vacation pond feeder? you can buy one for a couple hundred bucks and just load it with pellets and forget about it.

[@TheWoodedBeardsman]

We have one of those too, just haven't rigged it up yet.

[@GRolla101]

I was just looking on your page yesterday, to see if you'd posted. How good!

[@predatorsolutionsofmichigan]

Wouldn’t the worms crawl out the top? With a full bucket I would think they would crawl up and fall off the top?

[@TheWoodedBeardsman]

Only at night, and the soil would also compact and no longer be at the top. I have worms in my fridge with soil to the top and holes, and have only lost 3 worms that way.

[@gene_takavic57]

No Woodobo for the flies? Can't wait to see the construction of the waterfall.

[@aa61446]

Black soldier flies would be way more efficient and clean, no smell.

[@thecarlislehomestead]

Too heavy!! Oh and the smell.that will.come from that! 🤢🤮

[@jonesinforanadventure]

Worms like to stay in a certain depth of the soil. Maggot feeder, maybe your optimal option

[@jonesinforanadventure]

Maybe sell the worms at your local bait shop market it the bearded wormsman

[@philipkirk6488]

Put a geothermal cooling system in for your pond

[@AlexHernandez-lj7io]

Maybe put the bucket almost directly on top of the water

[@TheJimmyswint]

Use less dirt and more paper for the worms. Looser material help them move to the bottom

[@Guiltyme]

maybe dobbel or trippel the rope over the dam so it dont sag so much

[@marcellob188]

Only 5 mins into the video but, the worms like to rise upwards when it rains? They also would rather do it in the dark/evening time. Solar fountain water pump, a small one, and mimic a rainfall inside the bucket. The worms will rise and let them wiggle out from the top and fall down? Maybe wrap the bucket with something the worms can't stick on the bucket itself. Maybe create a sauna tube almost touching the water so the entire experience is in the dark. Or maybe put the pump on a timer in the evening and let them be active at night. Once again 5 mins in the video I guess just hanging a bucket in the air in the summer would dry out the soil for the worms Maybe?

[@marcellob188]

So maybe put the worm factory in a barrel buried in the ground. And mimic rainfall and when they rise up, make a one way slide that leads to the pond? A funnel of sorts. But a material the worms can't stick on? Does that even exist

[@Guiltyme]

Holden is a tough dude. I`m shure that smell was really bad

[@scottiegrav]

Looks like you need a braided steel cable for the maggot feeder

[@ruralsquirrel5158]

Maybe you should have used a steel cable instead.

[@chrisrobb8456]

Worms need lighter soil to move around easier, adding peat moss would help, second the bucket under the worms with soil needs to have water but not too much where the soil up top behind to dry and drop down to the water, having the water a few inches thick will allow the worms to escape and fall out, that's my best solution

[@TheWoodedBeardsman]

Yes, there is 50 percent peat moss in the soil.

[@unconventionalaf]

I can't imagine the smell of that meat. I'd have to try using farm animal manure instead of meat. Glad you didn't pass out from the stench and pitch into the drink. Awesome feeder idea 👍

[@TheWoodedBeardsman]

I did think of that for sure. Also thinking of using veggie was, etc. but I couldn't settle on something that would work for sure. Manure might...

[@Nambob71320]

Have you considered instead of having the pipe and box stuck together maybe using some carabiners and eye bolts so you dont have to add the box when you are stringing up and instead just have the pipe so its abit easier.

[@TheWoodedBeardsman]

That would help for sure!

[@allenenabnit7078]

You needed to use a boat trailer winch with hand crank

[@SuperNmolnar]

Cheap way to feed the fish, cycle of life. Those are some big fish. Cheers from Simcoe County Ontario Canada!🍁🍁

[@peteraubery1977]

try black buckets mate, eliminate the light issue

[@aaronlopez2934]

Been following for a while don’t care how long you think I’ve been following for. Don’t care if you follow or subscribe

[@TheWoodedBeardsman]

:)

[@nobueno3514]

You can try two lines on the maggots feeder

[@outdoorsforachange]

Is it feasible hust to grow enough earthworms to support the fish?

[@TheWoodedBeardsman]

They seem to be slow growing, but oddly, I never run out and pick the same areas all year.

[@thomasoberg227]

I would paint the bottom of the bucket black and put a black funnel below the bucket to block the light then perhaps the worms will crawl out and fall down

[@TheWoodedBeardsman]

I had that thought too!

[@SuperPenguin5495]

hey chris, how are the stomach problems? I'm doing my best daily to battle it myself. I hope you're doing better !

[@TheWoodedBeardsman]

Better than before, not perfect, but ok. I hope yours gets better.

[@outdoorsforachange]

​@TheWoodedBeardsman what did you figure out was causing it?

[@philipkirk6488]

Now you need to make a water cooling device

[@jodykeitz]

What about a little maggot feeder pontoon boat?

[@jimstyver3084]

its about the holes... its like flying in the dark to find one of them. it would be better if you make the bottom of the bucket into a funnel. so as they try to go deeper they will drop out of the central bigger hole. you could even make a series of funnels so they can go down and down to slow them from going out the bottom.

[@jimstyver3084]

also color the buckets so the top will get hotter than the bottom, forcing them to go down

[@TheWoodedBeardsman]

Good idea!

[@damascusg4270]

How about some tubs in bottom for them to slide out of or a food in bottom coffee grounds or some thing to make second container more desirable with bigger holes or fill to top

[@TheWoodedBeardsman]

Bigger holes might help, but I don't think they would gravitate toward food. Although a lot of activity at the top of the container picking off the newspaper I put on top.

[@blueclothes1]

Chris you ever worry the metal from the grain bin leeching into the water? Just wondering 🤔

[@TheWoodedBeardsman]

Nope. Clarke uses metal bins too, and he said it would be fine.

[@shawnwolff4490]

Red wiggler worms have always done better for keeping them in any kind of a worm farm in my personal experience they're smaller worms they double in number in something like a month or six weeks and I don't need the cold the way earthworms do but they can handle a little bit warmer temperature and slightly drier climate or substrate

[@TheWoodedBeardsman]

Sounds like that's worth trying. I'm not sure where to source those though?

[@Lucky2bLivin]

As a former worm farmer I think this is going to be a bit tricky. The species you want is Red Worm Wigglers not the ones you've been grabbing. The other issue is they eat the leaf litter and the upper levels of the soil. They won't go through the bottom because that is where their worm castings are primarily not their food source. Sorry man this is not going to be easy. What I would recommend is using the worms to process the maggot leftovers and get some great soil out of it.

[@jamesclement6122]

Two pulleys and a cable should do the job

[@andreasarctaediusbjorklund2504]

Interesting! (And a bit disgusting) Did the smell attract racoons or other mammals?

[@TheWoodedBeardsman]

I noticed a lot of dog poop at the edge of the pond...I think it was just Frankie, but it could have also been frustrated coyote.