recently I rehomed my RI red rooster because he was essentially "overworking" the girls.
One of my hens went broody and I figured ok, let's see how she does if they hatch great if they don't that's fine as well.
I go out to the coop at least 2x a day to check/water/feed the hens and today I found quite a sight.
As I approached the coop to collect eggs I was smacked in the face with a horrendous smell. I fought the one broody hen out of the coop and found she had somehow broken one of the eggs she had been sitting on.
That egg was a smell rotten mess festering with maggots.
(I should probably add that in New England it's been about 82-90 degrees lately, any type of meat/food left in the sun reeks quickly)
I promptly removed all eggs, candled those that were not touching the rot and cleaned out the coop using a diluted water vinegar mixture.
I did not notice anything odd with my hen, however I know fly strike can come on quickly.
Should I be recleaning the coop daily and checking the hens rumps for friends? Or is it more likely the nasty buggers were just into the broken egg?
One of my hens went broody and I figured ok, let's see how she does if they hatch great if they don't that's fine as well.
I go out to the coop at least 2x a day to check/water/feed the hens and today I found quite a sight.
As I approached the coop to collect eggs I was smacked in the face with a horrendous smell. I fought the one broody hen out of the coop and found she had somehow broken one of the eggs she had been sitting on.
That egg was a smell rotten mess festering with maggots.
(I should probably add that in New England it's been about 82-90 degrees lately, any type of meat/food left in the sun reeks quickly)
I promptly removed all eggs, candled those that were not touching the rot and cleaned out the coop using a diluted water vinegar mixture.
I did not notice anything odd with my hen, however I know fly strike can come on quickly.
Should I be recleaning the coop daily and checking the hens rumps for friends? Or is it more likely the nasty buggers were just into the broken egg?