I put down one of my chickens (non emergency)

[winglesschicken]

One of my older birds (if not the oldest) was sick, or at least that's what my mom had told me. Looked outside and she was laying down. I thought she had already passed so I went out and looked, but she was still alive, labored breathing. I pet her head and she closed her eyes.

At the moment I didn't know what it was, but now that I've done research, she had fly strike. I'd never seen it before but she had maggots all over her backside, covering her vent and they'd eaten into her whole backside, they were crawling on eachother and it was horrible.

In the moment what seemed best was to put her down so she was no longer in pain. Now that I know fly strike is treatable I wonder if I did the right thing.

Regardless of if it was the right thing, whats done is done. I just wish I had known better methods of putting a chicken down to where it was quicker and guaranteed fast for her. She was a sweet bird and didnt deserve to be in any pain.

To anyone out there who had or is having to put down your birds, I hope you are doing okay.

 

[21hens-incharge]

It sounds like it was a really bad situation for her.
I think you did the right thing.
I am very sorry you had to go through that.

 

[RubelliteRose]

So sorry for your loss. It is never easy making that decision, but it does sound like you made the right one.

 

[Sally PB]

I'm sorry for your loss. You did the right thing. It's never easy.

Make something good come of this... learn about treating and preventing fly strike.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your loss, but I also think that you spared her a lot of unneeded suffering. I would also look around at your other chicken’s vents to make sure they do not have poop on them. Flies are terrible this time of year, and they will lay maggot eggs on the vent area. You may also want to conteol flies in the coop with permethrin which lasts a month.