Happy chickens! Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 I know I've read on here somewhere about fly strike in chickens, but can't find it! One of the girls had very mucky knickers earlier, so hav given her a good wash and sprayed with tea tree oil spray to mask any smell, but, having lost a rabbit to this years ago, am still very worried - there's lots of flys around in this warm weather. Any best advice on offer? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 I believe spraying them with permethrin (Johnson's anti mite spray) protects them and keeping knickers clean by bathing as you have done Ugh I have a girl who messes her knickers and it's a real worry. I find that if they are dry the soiling crumbles off if you rub it between your fingers, so you don't have to wash them all the time. Sorry if you are having your tea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy chickens! Posted August 6, 2009 Author Share Posted August 6, 2009 No it wasn't dry, but felt I couldn't leave it. Not the most fun I've ever had, but I hope got to her before the flies. Will try and find some spray tomorrow, thanks Plum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Article about Flystrike **here** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy chickens! Posted August 6, 2009 Author Share Posted August 6, 2009 Thanks Egluntine - knew I'd seen something somewhere, but the search function didn't find it. Hope I won't need to know how to solve it, trying to avoid it happening. Does spraying something with a different smell put the flies off do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 Citronella is useful....but the best thing is to make sure that there are no mucky bums about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy chickens! Posted August 7, 2009 Author Share Posted August 7, 2009 Thanks again - will keep a watchful eye out in case of more dirty knickers!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 just to say my horrid horrid flys are immune to citronella. Permithren (sp?) is the ONLY thing that works! That and fly papers (but that is so not a good look for a girl trailing a paper! poor Miney hen... the indignty) (Don't know how... think she may have jumped for a fly & got it caught!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 I got a call from some young girls today caring for chicken whilst owners away and I have never seen such a mess. Alive with maggots and lumps of poo. Didnt really know what would kill the maggots so we tried hibiscrub diluted and I managed to pull off as many maggots(big ones and smaller tiny ones all stages of growth)..repeated numerous times(I even pinched the maggots to kill them they were coming out of her vent..she was being eaten alive..horrible As I put the chicken in the water bluebottle flies came whizzing out. Tried Diatom powder and then Benzyl benzoate as its all what I have for the horses etc etc I was on my way to vets and called at an experienced chicken keeper who I know would kill it if need be(as was thinking this was the other option but wanted to try to save it)and ask for her advice too(I did think of saline water)! However got a call to say it had died. This was a respectable house etc but hearing this is not the first time etc etc Rabbits other small pets seem to die here ..I was gob smacked it was like an RSPCA case I shouldnt have been there I just went to help the girls with their poorly chicken but was very shocked.The owners were contacted by the girls and they wanted it left to die on some hay How cruel. I used up loads of my own products and was happy to pay for the vet money isnt an issue but why are some folks so incompetent and cruel indie sorry for the rant! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legend21 Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Indie, I dont know that I could have done all of that it must have been awful for the poor chicken and you. Feel free to rant as it does help. Some people should be strung up for what they do to poor animals, they let any idiot take care of animals. I am so sorry the poor wee mite Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 oh poor poor you and the chook of course. I think you should call the rspca. If this isn't the 1st to die it won't be the last, and respectable house or not, this is just not acceptable. You rant as much as you like, you need it and deserve to be supported! bless you for trying to help. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 And apparently these people will no doubt just go and get some more! The garden was so nice and big and the facilities animal housing all really twee and pretty(I think the owners must be cuckoo ) no concern for animal suffering for sure. You know when your gut instinct tells you something just isnt right, the more I started hearing the more I thought these people are just not on earth but on another planet. ooohh cross hate animal suffering, I realise I need to learn to despatch a chicken humanely as this one certainly needed it. indie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 What a horrible experience for you and the poor hen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 What a horrible experience for you and the poor hen. It was a bluebelle hen and I would love to have saved it to join mine but it was so far gone. A maggot came out of its nose when it died(it was riddled) Sorry to be so graphic but it was truely eaten alive. Even if the owner hadnt peeped at its undercarriage from the top it had pecked off its top feathers near its tail. It was heavily infested you didnt have to look closely even. Apart from the obvious cm maggots there were clumps of like cheesy curd and when I looked they were clumps of baby maggots in its tail feathers. The girls wanted to take some photos as evidence but at the time I just wanted to de- maggot it asap..now it died I wish we had photographed it Have been on the internet and looked at pics but this was bad case. A learning curve for me came home and after washing checked my girls over which I do anyway. Chickens are so easy to look after I bet on a busy day for me I give them 10 mins total sweeping/topping up feed/water etc No excuse Thanks for the support if they get more I will go to see them and tell them they shouldnt have animals indie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Crikey Indie, what a horror story...I'll be out there with my girls in the morning just the Orpies as they are the ones prone to the occasional set of mucky knickers, admistering a warm bath if needs be before i go out to see my SiL. Some people just shouldn't have animals RIP little girl and huge {{{hugs}}} for you and the chook sitters, it must have been horrific for them too, Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 RIP little girl and huge {{{hugs}}} for you and the chook sitters, it must have been horrific for them too, Sha x I had just come home from shopping and the two young girls rang me in tears & hysterics bless them they dont want the owner to know I have been in her garden (sounds like she rules the roost)! Um Shame as they were reallly good about it and had been to the local shop to buy some disposable gloves out of their pocket money, we did our best considering. Still feel it was unecessary suffering. I couldnt understand why people washed their chickens now I do indie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...