Urgent Please! Hen has huge hole below vent - Fly Strike Confirmed

[suebee]

Update...Lola is still alive! Every evening I said she wouldn't make it, but every morning I take that slow, anxiety ridden walk to the bathroom expecting the worst but seeing a great sight. So far she has proven me wrong and I'm so incredibly grateful to the help I've received here. Even though I've had chickens for many years I haven't had many sick chickens and this illness was new to me.
I spray the Vetericyn Wound & Skin Care Spray at least twice a day. The main issue I'm having is her not drinking so I gently squirt water mixed w/ antibiotic in/around her beak hoping some will go down. She's pecking a bit at food and even ate some cooked egg tonight!
The hole seems to be getting smaller and drier but still pretty large. The horrid smell is gone. What a fighter...I hope she wins.

 

[Michael Apple]

That's great news, Suebee. Keep us posted and let us know if we can help out.

 

[Kelsie2290]

So good to hear she is doing better. We knew she was a fighter from those pictures of her determinately stuffing all those giant chicks under her. Will she eat mash or food that you have wetted with warm water or pedialyte? Did she have favorite foods before she got sick?

 

[Shabana]

Really really fabulous news ! So happy for you
Keep up the great work xx

 

[suebee]

She is sleeping less and seems more alert, even standing at times. I wish I could get a good picture of the wound. It's shrinking down to the size of a quarter and mostly black but has a yellow bump in the middle of the hole. I hope it's fat and not some sort of huge larvae tucked in there. Can't find anything written about yellow larvae burrowing inside a fly strike wound, just little white maggots. I didn't see even one maggot on Lola when I discovered the wound initially but did apply Eprinex to the back of her neck so maybe the maggots crawled out. Just worried the wound will close up over the mysterious yellow thing and what if it's a larvae or pupa. The screw worm spray probably killed anything in the wound hopefully. She's eating a bit of chick starter mixed with scratch and bits of cooked egg so I'm happy. Once I see her drink on her own I'll feel much better, but so far so good.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Glad to hear she is still doing better, sounds like everything is looking up for her. The only thing I can really think of that might fit what you are describing is a warble fly, but they are usually darn big and you should see the larvas head if it is in there when it breathes, would also think the screw worm spray and Eprinex combination would kill it. I wonder if whatever fly larva were in there had already left to pupate, they do have a pretty short life cycle.

 

[suebee]

Lola is still alive and doing well. She started drinking and eating a bit. After a week of inside nursing I let her stay in a nest box in the coop at night, then put her in a secure pen away from horny roosters during the day. I think she's going to make it. e

 

[Shabana]

Really really pleased to hear your great news !! Well done you and Lola !!
xxx

 

[Kelsie2290]

Good news, good job hanging in there Lola.