Preventing flystrike

[Fluffy_Feathers]

I have had flystrike in my flock twice now. The first one was too far gone and had to be culled, the second one I was able to save. Both of these chickens had very poopy butts and the chicken coop had a lot of flies. After my second hen I decided to switch to sand in the coop, and that eliminated almost all flies in the coop. In the run I still have just dirt, but I know people put sand in there too. I also got some Elector PSP, which was more of a panic impulse buy since the sand keeps the flies away anyhow, but you can spray that directly on the chicken if you're willing to spend that amount of money. My chickens with poopy butts don't like to be messed with either, so I will just spray that stuff directly on the chickens' butt. It's less stressful for them and me both. I will also spray it around the coop because why not, extra protection. Just be sure to follow the directions.

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

If your birds have constant juicy poops, that's a whole other ball game and should be investigated, starting with diet.

What is it with you and calling poop juicy?!! That is a food adjective, dagnabbit!

 

[Bejep714]

Now I'm worried. I went down there a minute ago her butt is way worse. I gave them strawberry treats, and usually she attacks them, but she didnt even run over this time. She is acting very strange and I am worried since fly's are out now and buzzing around.

 

[Bejep714]

We bought the elector PSP and its coming today which is good. She is just standing huddles with her eyes closed right now. This morning when we let them out at 7 she was fine, but now suddenly she is acting so strange, and I'm not sure if it would really be that sudden. The flies were not out at 7 but are now so that could be a factor, but her crop has always been large so we are thinking she could have problems with that.

 

[Bejep714]

We felt her crop, and it is smaller and hard, is that normal

 

[Fluffy_Feathers]

her butt is way worse.

Her butt as in the vent area that you cleaned? Or are you talking about the muddy area further down you mentioned before?

She didn't happen to get flystrike, did she? Can you get some pictures?

Flies just buzzing around won't affect her unless they actually give her flystrike. If she doesn't have flystrike then there's something else going on unrelated to the flies.

 

[aart]

She is just standing huddles with her eyes closed right now.

We felt her crop, and it is smaller and hard, is that normal

Sounds sick.....just like the loose poops indicate something not quite right?
What all and how exactly are you feeding?
Juicy foods can make for loosey poops.


When I have a bird that is acting 'off', this is what I do:
I isolate bird in a wire cage within the coop for a day or two....so I can closely monitor:
-their intake of food and water,
-crop function(checking at night and in morning before providing more feed),
-and their poops.

Feel their abdomen, from below vent to between legs, for squishy or hard swelling. Check for external parasites or any other abnormalities.

Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.

 

[Bejep714]

We feed all of our birds Purina oyster shell layena crumbs food, and water. They do get daily treats like mealworms and fruits like strawberries grapes bananas blueberries and cheerios

 

[aart]

We feed all of our birds Purina oyster shell layena crumbs food, and water. They do get daily treats like mealworms and fruits like strawberries grapes bananas blueberries and cheerios

If only one bird is having issues, it's likely not the diet.
But might be good to cut out all those treats for a week or two and see if things improve.

 

[Bejep714]

We bathed her in Epsom salt for 20 minutes today and she is inside right now and not in the coop with the others. She was very calm during that and afterwars she was trying to push but no egg was coming out so we think it is egg bound. We also fed her some electrolytes in water, and will have to see what is happening tomorrow