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Lost a chicken - gross reason, and I need help

Discussion in 'Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures' started by Suzannah, Aug 13, 2011.

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  1. Aug 13, 2011 #1
    Suzannah

    Suzannah Out Of The Brooder

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    Found a chicken today, dead. She is one of a pair of chickens that we got almost a year ago who chronically pooped on themselves (not diarhhea, but somehow couldn't get it past the tail feathers, even the other fluffy-butt chickens could do it).

    Here is the WAAAAAY TMI....

    It looks like maggots from flies on her butt, coming out of her. She was absolutely fine, no strange behavior, eating, not really laying, but neither chicken was a great layer (and they were, frankly, headed for the processor in a couple months when it got cooler).

    I need some help.

    1. We have a TON of flies right now, everywhere. We have a horse and two goats, but they are not the problem. There are flies in the coop I just cleaned yesterday, flies in their food, flies on the chickens, flies everywhere. I need some suggestions, chemical and non-, to help eliminate them, or at least knock them down.

    2. There is one more chronic pooper-on-herself-er. She is healthy, eating, no strange behavior. Should I just let her go, and possibly find her dead, or should I end it for her now? I don't want her to suffer, although if the other one did suffer, it was probably pretty short, based on the fact that she was fine six hours ago.

    The other chickens are fine. It is hotter than hell right now. They spend most of the time in the shade during the day, but it is still very, very hot. They have plenty of access to clean water, but they have recently discovered the goldfish pond and are all fond of that.

    Any insights? I feel really, really bad.
     
  3. Aug 13, 2011 #2
    dragonlair

    dragonlair Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Can you trim her butt feathers so she doesn't soil herself?
     
  5. Aug 13, 2011 #3
    Hawkeye95

    Hawkeye95 Chillin' With My Peeps

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    I've seen disposable fly traps at my farm store- looks kind of like a little clear plastic bucket. I'd probably buy a couple of those and see if that works. And.. this is probably totally bogus, but no one can determine if it works or not. But people swear by filling clear baggies with water (like ziplock bags) and then nailing them or stringing them up around where you want the flies to be repelled. Just figured I'd mention it. I personally have not used it this trick. If you look it up on Snopes, they say it is Undetermined- so possibly it may work!
     
  7. Aug 13, 2011 #4
    Sonoran Silkies

    Sonoran Silkies Flock Mistress

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    Usually when the poop collects on their bottoms, they have lice eggs that are catching the initial droppings, then those droppings collect more and more. You need to thoroughly bathe any poopy bottoms of your birds and treat with sevin or permethrin. The poop attracts flies who lay eggs in it. In hot weather fly eggs can hatch into maggots in a matter of only a few hours, and the maggots begin consuming the live flesh. There are only a very few specific types of maggots that eat only dead flesh; MOST will eat live flesh.. Also, treat her with pour-on ivermectin to make her system poisonous to them. You can also rub SWAT or FLYS OFF (same product, one marketed towards dogs, the other towards horses) around her bottom.

    Keep things as dry as possible; moisture attracts flies.
     
  9. Aug 13, 2011 #5
    Suzannah

    Suzannah Out Of The Brooder

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    Apr 18, 2010
    Georgia
    In order, sort of:

    I did trim butt feathers, and that worked for a little while, but they grew back (?), and I need to do it again. We just checked the other chicken and although poopy, no other signs like the other chicken. I will trim and wash again tomorrow, and I have Swat for horses.

    The water in ziplock bags works, and I totally forgot about that. Will do that this weekend.

    It has been unbelievably dry here (GA), and I have no idea why we have flies so bad. I have sevin dust, but will that hurt the birds, and should I throw out the eggs for a period of time if I do that?

    Just left for a bit and came back. All are fine, although still hot. It is 7 pm local time, and 93 degrees.
     
  11. Aug 13, 2011 #6
    Redcatcher

    Redcatcher Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Flies PREFER dead tissue. If given a choice, they will eat only dead tissue. But if they have consumed all the dead flesh and/or fecal matter that is available, they will begin eating healthy tissue.
     
  13. Aug 13, 2011 #7
    welasharon

    welasharon Chillin' With My Peeps

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    No egg discard necessary with seven dust.
     
  15. Aug 13, 2011 #8
    Sonoran Silkies

    Sonoran Silkies Flock Mistress

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    Sevin 5 is approved for use on poultry.
     
  17. Aug 13, 2011 #9
    Baymule

    Baymule Chillin' With My Peeps

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  19. Aug 13, 2011 #10
    Jloeffler

    Jloeffler Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Flies have been horrible this year here as well, and not just near our chicken coops. Sorry to hear about your hen. I hope all the suggestions help!
     
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