Maggots in the egg box..I'm going to be sick

[Rainieb]

Hello Everyone,
Please can I have some feedback. Right now my four Rhode Island Reds are acting fine, but almost ceased egg laying. I am finding 1 to 2 eggs a day. The last egg I found was just a yolk with a squishy shell. Since they have stuck feathers and crusty-red vent area/abdomen I am treating them with probiotic supplements in the feed, washing, anti-fungal cream and occasional greek yogurt. Hoping this will help if it is Vent Gleet.

We keep the coop/run clean and in the beginning of the new season, I completely clean and hose coop before laying new bedding. Every couple days, scooping out poop, every week replacing all bedding.

So today, I check the egg box and there was a crushed egg and maggots in the only egg box they use. ( I have three egg boxes).. I removed all the bedding in the egg box, used vinegar diluted with water, rinsed with hot water and dried, then replaced bedding.

So my question is, am I doing something wrong? Am I treating properly for Vent Gleet? Is my coop clean enough?
Should I just get a puppy?
Thanks everyone! I've already treated my hens for bumble foot they got for a roosting bar that was too high...I'm really tired! We have had them for two years.

RainieB

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Right now my four Rhode Island Reds are acting fine, but almost ceased egg laying. I am finding 1 to 2 eggs a day. The last egg I found was just a yolk with a squishy shell. Since they have stuck feathers and crusty-red vent area/abdomen I am treating them with probiotic supplements in the feed, washing, anti-fungal cream and occasional greek yogurt. Hoping this will help if it is Vent Gleet.

More than likely you will need to treat for lice, northern fowl mite or one of the very common parasite many of us deal with that cause issues like this. Vent gleet is not contagious (without a rooster) ... not for ALL the birds, maybe if it were only one... is why I'm thinking it may be something else.

Check their abdomens after dark using a flashlight or headlamp if ya got one and look for creepies crawling away. This is the BEST time to get the most accurate picture.

Finding maggots in the lay box... one of your hens may be suffering from fly strike... or is it possible it was tape worms? Just asking, not presuming.

Please add your general location to your profile so peeps can make the best suggestions possible at a glance.

ETA: what are you feeding on a regular basis, and current weather?

 

[Kiki]

Can you get a few pictures of this swollen area and X2 on wanting to know what you feed them.

 

[Rainieb]

Can you get a few pictures of this swollen area and X2 on wanting to know what you feed them.

Yes thank you! Will do it tomorrow

 

[Rainieb]

More than likely you will need to treat for lice, northern fowl mite or one of the very common parasite many of us deal with that cause issues like this. Vent gleet is not contagious (without a rooster) ... not for ALL the birds, maybe if it were only one... is why I'm thinking it may be something else.

Check their abdomens after dark using a flashlight or headlamp if ya got one and look for creepies crawling away. This is the BEST time to get the most accurate picture.

Finding maggots in the lay box... one of your hens may be suffering from fly strike... or is it possible it was tape worms? Just asking, not presuming.

Please add your general location to your profile so peeps can make the best suggestions possible at a glance.

ETA: what are you feeding on a regular basis, and current weather?

Hello layer crumbles and probiotic supplement in feed. It’s currently in the upper 80s to 90s. We are supposed to get up to 100 on Sunday.

 

[aart]

Should I just get a puppy?

Sorry, that just cracked me up!!

But seriously, not sure why you thought vent gleet, red skin around vent could just be urate burn from loose poops from drinking more than usual in hot weather and/or broken soft shell eggs.
Nothing other than a good chicken ration and plain clean water is best IMO.

I do give a dose of Sav-a-Chick electrolytes/vitamins about once a week during heat waves. It really seems to help....started this after they saved a heat stroked hen once.
Can mix up a smaller amount, just wrap the packet tight and store in a dry cool place. Always have plain water available too.

BIG(9x14x2") chunks of ice last all day for wading, sitting, and sipping.
Much more useful to the chickens than frozen foods and treats.

Make space in your freezer!

Regular check for bugs is always good, but don't treat unless you see them.
Have you checked them over real well for mites and/or lice?

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

 

[Rainieb]

Sorry, that just cracked me up!!

But seriously, not sure why you thought vent gleet, red skin around vent could just be urate burn from loose poops from drinking more than usual in hot weather and/or broken soft shell eggs.
Nothing other than a good chicken ration and plain clean water is best IMO.

I do give a dose of Sav-a-Chick electrolytes/vitamins about once a week during heat waves. It really seems to help....started this after they saved a heat stroked hen once.
Can mix up a smaller amount, just wrap the packet tight and store in a dry cool place. Always have plain water available too.

BIG(9x14x2") chunks of ice last all day for wading, sitting, and sipping.
Much more useful to the chickens than frozen foods and treats.

Make space in your freezer!

Regular check for bugs is always good, but don't treat unless you see them.
Have you checked them over real well for mites and/or lice?

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Very interesting! Thank you, I’m going to freeze block of ice now and order sav a chick..we are supposed to get 100 degrees Saturday and I’m worried.
I didn’t know egg production can sometimes drop due to stress or extreme heat also.