Poop on butt causes flystrike?

[Chicken poppy]

So a while back, the chicken butts (from really just 2 in particular) would always get sorta messy. Nothing bad, i would just clean it every now and then. They have very fluffy butts so it often built up. Another has a fluffy butt but it doesn’t build up on her like it does on them.

Anyway, it became a big chore to constantly clean it, so i just wouldn’t clean it as often. (They are laying hens, if that makes a difference to anything) I know it sounds bad, but i assumed it would do no damage and i would just do an occasional cleaning. But then i read about flystrike, do i need to be cleaning it constantly? I read they lay their eggs on their butts because their attracted to the smell. This never happened to me but now im a bit worried it might. Just wondering how common this is, and if i need to be cleaning it super frequently. Its getting to be winter so i was kinda holding off on cleaning them cause that meant getting their butts wet or trimming a bunch off. Is there anyway i could wash it and that be the end of it for a while?

 

[AGeese]

I gave up trying to keep their tails clean because they're dirty the next day. As long as the feathers aren't becoming a big solid mass I leave them alone. Flies will be attracted to it just like a poopy coop. I would just make sure there's no insects hovering around their behinds, set fly traps and clean what you can clean, coop, refresh bedding etc. So far this is working for me until it doesn't.

 

[aldarita]

I know chickens get a dirty behind some times, mine do every now and then. However it seems like yours (at least the 2 you are referring in your post) always have a dirty behind. Maybe you should look into giving them some probiotics or change their feed. This might help. Something might be causing them to have poop that sticks to their feathers and not a normal poop.

 

[aart]

Flystrike is possible with poopy butts.
Best bet is to trim the poopy feathers off about 1/4" from the skin.

 

[Painted Calls]

If it's too much of a chore to keep them clean, give them a butt cut as @aart suggested. A dirty bottom can and will draw flies.

 

[3KillerBs]

I haven't experienced this issue yet, but I would suggest not breeding a chicken whose fluff is so extreme that she can't keep herself clean.

 

[Chicken poppy]

I know chickens get a dirty behind some times, mine do every now and then. However it seems like yours (at least the 2 you are referring in your post) always have a dirty behind. Maybe you should look into giving them some probiotics or change their feed. This might help. Something might be causing them to have poop that sticks to their feathers and not a normal poop.

I considered this, but their poop does look normal, it just seems to stick on. Nothing seems wrong with them, normal behavior, so i wasn’t sure if i should be giving anything for it, but i’ll try researching some things and see if somethings up. Thanks!

 

[Chicken poppy]

I haven't experienced this issue yet, but I would suggest not breeding a chicken whose fluff is so extreme that she can't keep herself clean.

I didn’t mean to make it sound that extreme, its not that bad. Its fairly tame, just a few clumps in there under the vent. I just wasn’t sure if it would attract flies.

And i won’t breed them anyway, their the largest and the rooster is much tinier so can’t reach them to mate. Thank you!

 

[Chicken poppy]

If it's too much of a chore to keep them clean, give them a butt cut as @aart suggested. A dirty bottom can and will draw flies.

Thanks. I will do that. I was nervous to trim them because she had went broody and lost her crop downy feathers and the other had molted, so i wasn’t sure if it would make them cold for winter, but if its going to attract flies i don’t want to risk it.

 

[Chicken poppy]

Flystrike is possible with poopy butts.
Best bet is to trim the poopy feathers off about 1/4" from the skin.

Thanks. I’ll do that.