Anyone else dealing with fly strike this summer?

[Kuntry Klucker]

Is anyone else dealing with their share of fly strike this summer??

I have been plagued twice this year so far. My first year ever dealing with it at that.

My first victim was my rooster Roy, he is much better now. My second victim was my alpha
hen. She is in recovery.

The flies have been so bad this year, it has been really wet and humid here, I wonder if that has
something to do with it. The first year I have ever has such an issue with flies.

the coop is clean and dry, the pen dry, I just don't get it.

Just wondering if anyone else is dealing with the same, making sure I am not alone with this
frustrating condition.

Looking forward to cooler weather for sure.

 

[GitaBooks]

I, thankfully, have not had to deal with it, but I have heard a lot of people on BYC talking about problems with it in chickens and turkeys. It seems like a good year for flies, probably because all the rain leads to more things rotting (just a guess).

I'm glad both your chickens seem to be getting better!

A few people lost theirs to fly strike.

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

I, thankfully, have not had to deal with it, but I have heard a lot of people on BYC talking about problems with it in chickens and turkeys. It seems like a good year for flies, probably because all the rain leads to more things rotting (just a guess).

I'm glad both your chickens seem to be getting better!

A few people lost theirs to fly strike.

That is good. It is terrible, I was aware of it due to my research before I got chickens but never had
to deal with it till this summer, then bam, dynamic immersion. I hope this is the last I have seen of it,
the weather should start cooling off soon.

So far I have been able to bring my birds through it. They are doing better. I am beginning to have a sincere
hate for flies.

 

[Mutt Farm]

Is anyone else dealing with their share of fly strike this summer??

I have been plagued twice this year so far. My first year ever dealing with it at that.

My first victim was my rooster Roy, he is much better now. My second victim was my alpha
hen. She is in recovery.

The flies have been so bad this year, it has been really wet and humid here, I wonder if that has
something to do with it. The first year I have ever has such an issue with flies.

the coop is clean and dry, the pen dry, I just don't get it.

Just wondering if anyone else is dealing with the same, making sure I am not alone with this
frustrating condition.

Looking forward to cooler weather for sure.

I'm in hot dry So Cal where bugs are rarely an issue. This year, the flies have been AWFUL! I think it's the monsoon moisture. Just today, I just spent the day looking for better relief. If yours free range, this might not help, but for coops and runs, chickeners are raving about vanilla air fresheners. I just sent hubby to Auto Zone. Lots of good threads here for fly control. Here's one. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/385613/vanilla-air-fresheners

 

[chickendreams24]

Sorry for the newbie question but what exactly is fly strike? I know we have tons of flies here is that all it means? Unfortunately, I also believe it may get worse in a week for us, as people grow mint around me and they are beginning to harvest the mint oil. The flies are attracted to the mint charges(aka what's left after extracting the oil). Last year the mint was around our house; we didn't have chickens yet but our great dane would walk out into the field covered in the charges. She'd come in with flies all over her back biting her, drawing blood in multiple places.

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

Sorry for the newbie question but what exactly is fly strike? I know we have tons of flies here is that all it means? Unfortunately, I also believe it may get worse in a week for us, as people grow mint around me and they are beginning to harvest the mint oil. The flies are attracted to the mint charges(aka what's left after extracting the oil). Last year the mint was around our house; we didn't have chickens yet but our great dane would walk out into the field covered in the charges. She'd come in with flies all over her back biting her, drawing blood in multiple places.

fly strike is when the adult female fly lays eggs on the chicken, usually near the vent area and the eggs hatch. when they hatch the maggots burrow into the skin and cause wound
that becomes infected. To treat fly strike you need to wash out the wound, pick the maggots out with tweezers if you have to then treat the infection that the maggots caused. If it
sounds like something out of a nightmare that is because it is. I have never seen it before and it is the most hedious thing I have ever seen. I have a pretty tough
stomach not much bothers me, but fly strike is one that does. I hope that you never see it, it is just the worse. So far I have been able to pull my girls though, but
it is just awful.

 

[Mutt Farm]

Sorry for the newbie question but what exactly is fly strike? I know we have tons of flies here is that all it means? Unfortunately, I also believe it may get worse in a week for us, as people grow mint around me and they are beginning to harvest the mint oil. The flies are attracted to the mint charges(aka what's left after extracting the oil). Last year the mint was around our house; we didn't have chickens yet but our great dane would walk out into the field covered in the charges. She'd come in with flies all over her back biting her, drawing blood in multiple places.

On dogs, they usually go for the ears or a wound. It can be horrible. For dogs and horses, I've used Defy the Fly collars. They have worked very well.

 

[enola]

Keeping your chickens as clean as possible can go a long way toward preventing Flystrike. If you have a chicken that has a messy/poopy butt or any kind of wound that is where flies will lay eggs.

 

[Mutt Farm]

fly strike is when the adult female fly lays eggs on the chicken, usually near the vent area and the eggs hatch. when they hatch the maggots burrow into the skin and cause wound
that becomes infected. To treat fly strike you need to wash out the wound, pick the maggots out with tweezers if you have to then treat the infection that the maggots caused. If it
sounds like something out of a nightmare that is because it is. I have never seen it before and it is the most hedious thing I have ever seen. I have a pretty tough
stomach not much bothers me, but fly strike is one that does. I hope that you never see it, it is just the worse. So far I have been able to pull my girls though, but
it is just awful.

I'm gonna bump. I've seen the worst of the worst nauseating cases through my work, but not on my chickens. Before I bump, I say find the source. I only have 1.5 acres. I planted tons of basil everywhere I could, I think that has helped. I just hung the vanilla air fresheners, we'll see. My coop and pen are clean and dry, I clean my horse pens twice a day. I never have "poop" or rotting anything here. My vigilance does no good when one neighbor has pigs and goats and dogs and chickens that live in filth and another neighbor has animals that live in squalor. Fly predators would be a waste for me but might work for you in you can determine the source. I wonder if there is a topical? Bump.

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

I'm gonna bump. I've seen the worst of the worst nauseating cases through my work, but not on my chickens. Before I bump, I say find the source. I only have 1.5 acres. I planted tons of basil everywhere I could, I think that has helped. I just hung the vanilla air fresheners, we'll see. My coop and pen are clean and dry, I clean my horse pens twice a day. I never have "poop" or rotting anything here. My vigilance does no good when one neighbor has pigs and goats and dogs and chickens that live in filth and another neighbor has animals that live in squalor. Fly predators would be a waste for me but might work for you in you can determine the source. I wonder if there is a topical? Bump.

does anyone know if mint attracts flies? I have heard that it repels and now I wonder if it would attract. I does have a sweet smell that the flies might like.
That i the only thing that I have done different this year. I have an herb garden in the backyard along with other gardens, well mint was one of my
new additions, or I should say new plants that I planted back there this year. the other annuals and herbs were there in previous years where fly strike
was not a problem. Just wondering, if anyone has an knowledge on the mint plant and flies that would be great. thanks.