# Maggots on chickens



## Rammy (Jun 4, 2018)

One of my chickens has maggots on her. I dont know what happened, if something got a hold of her, or what. I sprayed blukote on her but didnt seems to kill them. Is there anything I can do to get them off her?


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## Southern by choice (Jun 4, 2018)

You have to hand pick them off her. Wash her real well. She may or may not recuperate.
Probably had some poopy on her and then came along a fly... 24 hrs and you have maggots
This can be a real problem with cornish cross birds that don't like to stand or walk.


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## Rammy (Jun 4, 2018)

Ive been checking on her all day and she's not looking good. Did call around and got suggestions to get them off and for the most part did with exception of some microscopic ones. Got some more blukote and sprayed her down as good as possible. I think she is already too far gone.


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## Southern by choice (Jun 4, 2018)

Blokote is just sealing in the maggots that are eating away at the skin.

Sadly many chickens will not recuperate. Be kind, put her out  rather than be eaten alive.


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## Rammy (Jun 4, 2018)

Just did. She wasnt going to make it.  Just wish I knew what happened.


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## Southern by choice (Jun 4, 2018)

That is how it happens, poop on but , fly lands lays eggs and in 24 hours you have maggots. Any wound will also draw flies etc.
Many moons ago one of the vets I worked with  was absolutely squeamish when it came to maggots. I hated them too but you know when you see a dog come in and you just "know" that smell and lift the tail of a big ole hairy beast and you see hundreds of maggots you do what you have to do. I used hemostats.  It always started out as the dog had some loose stool  and it would get in the hair, owners not always knowing until they smelled the smell and knew something wasn't right.

I've seen them in ears too.  

Silkies seem more prone and of course cornish cross birds because they are too heavy and poop nonstop- as they lay there overnight in their crap because they don't want to walk they get it bad.
I tell people not to raise them in the summer. 

If where you are is really wet and you are having a lot of flies you will need to keep an eye on chicken butts and really keep your coop dry. Use fly abatement traps where you can.


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## Rammy (Jun 4, 2018)

I dont think it was poop. She had a huge separation between her body and where the thigh meets. Im wondering if something attacked her and she got away. Too bad. Thats three chickens Ive lost in a month. Have three trying to go broody. May get some eggs from neighbor and let them go to town.


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## Southern by choice (Jun 4, 2018)

Yep, a wound will draw them.


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## Latestarter (Jun 4, 2018)

Sorry you had to put her down... Better for her though as I'm sure she was in pain. I only had three birds that I bought back the end of April. Found 2 of them dead about 4 days ago and the lone survivor was gone the other morning when I went to do chores. No idea and didn't do a necropsy. One was "light" while the other 2 were "normal" weight. No obvious injuries to any.  Don't think I'll replace them soon... I have plenty of eggs and don't eat them all that often anymore. Cheaper to just buy them when I need them.


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## Rammy (Jun 5, 2018)

I have had times where my chickens die alk if a sudden and no clue why. One year, I must of had half dozen die. One day they would be ok, nect day, find one lethargic, not wanting to move, couple hours later, would be dead.
One died from a fluke injury. Flew out of the nestbox, hit the ground hard, even tbough I use deep litter, and thought she was ok. Went out later to get the eggs, she had died. Sometimes Ive gone out and just found one passed away and they were just fine that morning. This has been the first year in a long time anything has died,  but this year Ive had three.


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## Baymule (Jun 5, 2018)

Sorry about your chicken.


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## Rammy (Jun 6, 2018)

Thanks, Bay, but thats farm life. Like I said, I wish I knew what happened. Checked the other chickens over and they are all ok. Maybe if I realized something happened earlier, she might of had a better chance, but by the time I noticed it, it was too late, I think. Just will have to be a little more diligent and checking the hens on a regular basis to make sure I catch something before it gets to the point its too late to do anything.


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