Flystrike …
What is it?
What causes it?
Flystrike is when flies lay their eggs on a living animal ?
When the maggots hatch, they usually live on the dead skin of the live animal
They would lay the eggs down by the skin, not out on the surface, on the feathers
You see it with botflies, blowflies and screw flies
What can you do to try to prevent it in the first place?
It can cause a pretty disgusting sore
Prevention is super important
Check your chickens often to make sure they’re clean and control your fly population
What do you do about it? ?
Isolate the affected chicken
Give her a bath to clean out the wound.
Pull any maggots out of the wound
It may sound disgusting but it’s definitely necessary in order to save the chicken …
The maggots are eating the chicken’s tissue
Then, use Vetericyn because that’s an anti-septic to keep the wound clean and help it heal
Don’t put any ointments on it because ointments are goopy and warm … that’s the exact environment that the maggots prefer
Keep checking several times a day for at least a week to make sure there isn’t a new maggot hatch
Stay diligent and check your flock members often to keep them healthy
If you find something, you caught it early enough that you can treat it and take care of the hen
Remember … Be The Organic U – Feed Your Soul
#BeTheOrganicU #organic #homestead #sustainability #agriculture #coops #farming #gardening #chickens #backyard #eggs #farmlife #homesteading #permaculture
