AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUMâ„¢
http://australianpoultryforum.com/

Mr Fox didn't kill her, but a fly did
http://australianpoultryforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=60172
Page 1 of 2

Author:  4chooks [ Sun Nov 02, 2014 11:32 am ]
Post subject:  Mr Fox didn't kill her, but a fly did

In my post of 6 April 2013 (Recovery after fox attack) I described how my beloved Buff Sussex hen, Persi, was attacked by a fox and survived. She had extensive chook physiotherapy, delivered by a physio mate of mine, antibiotics, regular checks for puncture marks and treatment with betadine, visits to the vet and so on. She went from being down in the beak to being boss chook in a few months; albeit with a permanent limp. Yesterday she laid her last egg. Don't read on if you're squeamish...

I was rushing off to an appointment with my daughter yesterday afternooon and I noticed Persi was a bit quiet - not running to the fence to pick up an earwig from me - but resting quietly under the bamboo. It was hot and she was in the shade, so I put her attitude down to the weather. She'd just laid an egg and I know it's all a bit harder for her because she has a permanent injury to her leg. I thought she was a bit slow yesterday evening when I locked them up against further fox attacks, and I put her slightly gooey poo down to the larger than normal amount of greens that were available to them yesterday. Because of the injury to her leg, Persi can't roost, so she tends to sleep either in her nesting box, which is filled with sawdust and changed regularly. But last night, most importantly, I didn't look closely at her. Her eyes looked bright and her comb was red, so I let it go and headed off to a party. I was out at the shed a bit later than normal this morning - I usually get told off by the girls when that happens, but this morning Persi was in considerable distress. I picked her up an immediately saw that she was a mess underneath, was crawling with juicy maggots, and the smell was nauseating. I immediately separated her from our other bird (a young Isa Brown), checked the internet for instuctions and started to clean her up in the laundry tub in warm water, with a bit of detergent and betadine. I'm sorry now that I didn't dose her with aspirin or panadol before cleaning her, she must have been in awful pain, but didn't complain. I couldn't really check for damage until I'd cleaned her up, but there were so many maggots that fell from her that I had to change the water four or five times. She was weak when I started to clean her, but just got worse, limper and limper. I turned her over to see the extent of the damage and was shocked at the state she was in, but still couldn't work out what the overall damage was. I continued to clean her as gently as I could, but then she finally sort of convulsed and died. My beautiful, gentle, loveable, talkative bird. I am so sad. I haven't done an autopsy. Instead I have buried her deeply and quickly. It's me that's distressed now.

How quickly does this happen? Had she been fly struck yesterday? How long do maggots take to get to nearly 7 mm long? I don't pick up my birds every day, but I stroke them and talk to them and keep their house (the Taj Chook) and run clean. I pride myself that they are kept in clean conditions and that I care for them well. How does this happen? I am really distressed at her loss, but more at the means by which she died. I need to learn more about this to prevent it happening again. I want to alert others and hear any feedback. Thanks

Author:  LOOLOO [ Tue Nov 04, 2014 8:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Mr Fox didn't kill her, but a fly did

That is very strange conf665




LooLoo

Author:  Lawnton Poultry [ Wed Nov 05, 2014 9:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Mr Fox didn't kill her, but a fly did

Quote:
How quickly does this happen? Had she been fly struck yesterday? How long do maggots take to get to nearly 7 mm long?


Wow that is quick

Author:  4chooks [ Wed Nov 05, 2014 10:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Mr Fox didn't kill her, but a fly did

I can only think that it was a combination of, diarrhoea, her old leg injury that led to her habit of roosting in the nesting box, her inadequate preening and cleaning and dusting (because of her bung leg), warm weather and lots of flies being around - more than we usually see. I imagine that the warm moist conditions under a chook sleeping on sawdust must have been perfect for maggots to grow in. I really miss her and feel terrible that she died like this while in my care. It's a huge warning.

Author:  Olivia N [ Sat Nov 08, 2014 7:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Mr Fox didn't kill her, but a fly did

Magot can infest a live host and I bet thats what happened

Author:  Weston [ Sun Nov 09, 2014 6:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Mr Fox didn't kill her, but a fly did

Olivia N wrote:
Magot can infest a live host and I bet thats what happened

i_like1 I think you are right on

Author:  Katy [ Fri Nov 14, 2014 7:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Mr Fox didn't kill her, but a fly did

YUK!

Author:  Nelly [ Tue Nov 18, 2014 7:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Mr Fox didn't kill her, but a fly did

Katy wrote:
YUK!

Double YUK

Author:  Katy [ Thu Nov 20, 2014 7:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Mr Fox didn't kill her, but a fly did

Hard to imagine that hey

Author:  ChickenPox [ Sun Nov 23, 2014 12:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Mr Fox didn't kill her, but a fly did

They will attack live tissue and not do much harm

Page 1 of 2 All times are UTC + 10 hours
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/