Baby Chicks with open wounds and maggots

[mc1321]

Hello, I'm new here, but have been raising chicks for over 20 years. I've been hatching baby chicks from the incubator and I came home from work today and found two babies just hatched. They had open wounds on their necks and bellies that were full of maggots. A fly must have gotten in and wrecked havok. I've been using sterilized tweezers to pull out the maggots, but i'm worried i'll miss some, that they'll spread to organs or that i'll damage some organs (one chick has something hanging out that probably shouldn't be). They are awake and moving around fine, but I'm very worried. I've been pouring peroxide, using anti bactetrial cream. Any suggestions? Is it a lost cause? This is the first problem I've ever had so I'm very worried.

 

[allieloveschickens]

ew, poor little things- sounds like you are doing all you can- keep their wounds clean, maybe try feeding them some extra protein like scrambled or boiled mashed eggs. I hope they make it!

 

[chkn]

Go to the farm or pet supply ASAP and get some SWAT. It's used for horses for fly (maggot) problems. Wash wound (maggots) off as best you can and apply SWAT. Reapply in a couple days. Time is of the essence. Wash them off and then go get the SWAT.

 

[mc1321]

I'm worried about sealing in the maggots with things like neosporin and swat....is this something to worry over? also, swat directions says not to put it on open wounds..

 

[welasharon]

stop using peroxide. Just keep picking and keep any more flies from getting to them

 

[colebarnhart]

Sorry to hear, but sounds like it's a lost cause and you might need to go ahead and cull them. How did they get the wounds and are you sure they don't have other things that might be going wrong because maggots don't eat healthy living flesh.

 

[nurse_turtle]

Quote:
Agree.

 

[mc1321]

after cleaning with peroxide, picking out maggots and applying neosporin they seem tired out but ok. They are strongly peeping, moving around a little and opening their eyes and looking around, i'm going to see if they make it through the night. I'm not sure how they got the injuries, none of the other chicks were deformed when they hatched. I just came home and found them like this, none of the other eggs were disturbed...odd...thanks everyone for your suggestions, i'm gonna sit this out and see what happens.

 

[mtngrl812]

Quote:
Agree.

2X but quit with the peroxide. It will only kill healthy tissue and give the maggots something to feed on...

 

[Redcatcher]

It is not entirely true that maggots feed only on dead tissue. If given no other food choices, they will invade healthy tissue and inflict a great deal of damage, which needless to say, creates dead tissue for them to feast on. If the maggots can succeed in killing the host animal, all the better (for them).