Topic of the Week - Fly Strike

[aart]

For example, we've had a particularly wet Spring here in Georgia, and moisture plus chicken poop equals FLIES! (How's that for chicken math?!)

I guess that would be Fly Math!

Following along.

Was aware of this issue, in chickens and other livestock, butt(haha) never had it here.
Have had some poopy butted girls that I have had to clean, trim, inspect.
I keep a much closer eye on butts now too.

 

[Folly's place]

If you have an animal with a wet dirty area anywhere, but often around the rear end, and flies lay eggs there, you have a very short time to manage the problem. Fly eggs hatch in one day, and the maggots are eating into the critter over the next 24 hours, and then the poor critter is toxic and probably dying. Fast action is essential!!! Wearing gloves, bathing is Dawn dish soap or a safe flea product (for that critter) and a speedy visit to the veterinarian (who will be grossed out too!) may save a life. If the underlying cause is bad, a fast euthanasia is the kindest solution. It's an awful event! Mary

 

[Folly's place]

It's not so much about controlling flies in the environment, although that's a very good thing, but about the one or two flies who find the target area and lay their eggs. I had a bird who prolapsed in summer, and was found by me the next day with maggots at the site. Mary

 

[Abriana]

If you have an animal with a wet dirty area anywhere, but often around the rear end, and flies lay eggs there, you have a very short time to manage the problem. Fly eggs hatch in one day, and the maggots are eating into the critter over the next 24 hours, and then the poor critter is toxic and probably dying. Fast action is essential!!! Wearing gloves, bathing is Dawn dish soap or a safe flea product (for that critter) and a speedy visit to the veterinarian (who will be grossed out too!) may save a life. If the underlying cause is bad, a fast euthanasia is the kindest solution. It's an awful event! Mary

Thanks! I do have two Cuckoo Marans with poopy rear ends, but have had no fly issues. I did clip away the poop with scissors once, but that only took care of the problem for a little while. Any reason why these two (the only Cuckoo Marans in the flock and also the only with a persisting issue) have such poopy bottoms? I also have two Columbian Rocks who are kind of poopy.

 

[Folly's place]

Usually, a healthy individual will manage to avoid the whole issue, poopy rear end and all. Unwell individuals, on the other hand, like my hen with the prolapse, are already sick, and can't. Also very fat dogs or cats, especially if they have the trots, and long hair. Or kittens or puppies, or sheep with their wool, or anyone with wounds. Just be aware that once started, it goes downhill FAST! Mary

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Wash in dawn dish soap and keep butt feathers trimmed a little. Make sure the chickens have places to dust bathe, especially with wood ash, sand, and a bit of food grade DE.

One thing I know, some maggots burrow into their skin. I have had this happen on a rabbit I didn't notice soon enough on.
You can try to get the maggot to burrow out by covering the wound in an inch of Vaseline until you can grab it with tweezers. The Vaseline starts to suffocate the maggot and they will try to work their way out to be able to breathe.
Also, lidocaine (the main ingredient in mot sunburn gels and sprays) is an effective topical numbing agent but ALSO causes paralytic effects in maggots. Which allows you to fish them out with a pair of tweezers with ease as the wound is numb and the maggot is paralyzed. Even an aloe sunburn gel with lidocaine will likely be enough to numb things up and paralyze the maggot.

Fly control also matters. We keep fly populations down with fly strips in shady locations where the flies cluster.

 

[Patinas]

I have seen some horror pics on here of chickens with fly strike! My prevention is to keep the coop clean, especially the poop trays which I clean every day or at the very least, every other day. My roo (which I'm in the process of trying to re-home) is the only one at the moment with a dirty behind but not super dirty, just some poo remnants on the edges of his feathers on his behind.

I am always doing a fly count when cleaning the poop trays. Today, I only saw two so I think just keeping the poop out is helping a lot.

 

[Coop de Grass]

I've only had chickens for 2 years now, and didn't know what a fly strike was. The flies have multiplied as the chickens have increased from 6 hens to 26 hens 4 roos and about 10 teenagers. I started using Spaulding labs Fly Predators, and they are definitely keeping the fly population down. There were hoards of them in early spring, as directed, I used fly traps while putting out the predators.By end of the month, I saw a dramatic decrease in the number of flies. I suggest that everyone order them. It is worth it!!!

 

[hannahsflock]

Never heard of this before. Good to know. Will be following this thread.

 

[Trish1974]

I've only had chickens for 2 years now, and didn't know what a fly strike was. The flies have multiplied as the chickens have increased from 6 hens to 26 hens 4 roos and about 10 teenagers. I started using Spaulding labs Fly Predators, and they are definitely keeping the fly population down. There were hoards of them in early spring, as directed, I used fly traps while putting out the predators.By end of the month, I saw a dramatic decrease in the number of flies. I suggest that everyone order them. It is worth it!!!

I used Fly Predators when I had horses, and it did cut down the fly population by 80%. With them being a bug themselves I was worried the chickens would eat them and I'd be throwing my money away, so this is good to know they work around chickens!