Flystrike - Check Those Vents In This Heat

[BurbCoop]

One of our older hens just got hit with flystrike

With the high heat and heavy rains we’ve been getting here in Colorado, the flies have been intense this year. It happened very fast and with the 24 hour cycle of fly larvae, things can go downhill quickly.

This particular hen has always had somewhat of an unkept and dirty bum, however, we’re keeping a very close eye on everyone because they’re drinking lots of water in this heat, which can cause loose stools, dirty bums, and easy access for flies to lay their eggs.

We’re on day two of maggot mitigation and wound treatment. Things are looking much much better, however, she is weak and recovery is going to take some time if she can hang in there.

 

[SmiYa0126]

I hope she makes it! I've been on high alert this year. Thank you for another reminder.

 

[BurbCoop]

Update:

This was her last night after a long soak and wound treatment - just exhausted

This is her this morning. Little more pep in her step and she is mad because she is stuck in the hen hospital. So we'll take that as a win

 

[SmiYa0126]

Update:

This was her last night after a long soak and wound treatment - just exhausted
View attachment 3591586

This is her this morning. Little more pep in her step and she is mad because she is stuck in the hen hospital. So we'll take that as a win
View attachment 3591588

She's so fluffy! Good job!

 

[BurbCoop]

For anyone that has never had to go through this, and I truly hope you don't ever have to, the key is the soak with physical removal of any visible maggots after.

Sorry for the graphic descriptions below, but just in case it helps someone down the line:

Mild Dish Soap and Epsom Salt in water deep enough to get above the tail feathers and a bit up their back. I recommend doing this in a bathtub to give plenty of space. (you'll understand why further down) Soak for 20-30 minutes. This will drowned the surface maggots around the wound, vent, and tail feathers.

From there, it requires a pair of tweezers and someone not too squeamish to pull out any remaining larvae. It is necessary to pull them out of any wounds that they may have burrowed into.

Once that has been completed, rinse the hen's tail and back end thoroughly. Watch for runners. (gross I know)

Flush any open wounds with diluted Povidone-iodine or Vetericyn Spray.

Pat the hen down with a towel and dry with a hair dryer, making sure the wound area and the tail feather areas are as dry as possible.

Wash, rinse, and repeat daily. Monitor the hen and wound area as much as possible.

Plenty of water and available food. Keep the hen isolated, in the chicken hospital.

Because fly larvae hatch en mass and the cycle is very quick, the initial round of maggots is truly horrifying. Don't be surprised if there are 20, 40, 60+ floating in the water after that first soak.

The second night we only had six floating in the water after soaking, and physically removed 4 more. (very curious to see how we are sitting tonight with round three)

 

[BurbCoop]

Great news! We’re continuing to monitor, but she was able to rejoin the flock today.

That is one tough bird at seven years old. She even maintained her spot in the pecking order after a couple of the younger hens tried to challenged her. She wasn’t having it

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Thank you for posting the specific info you gave in your post #5, which will be very helpful to anyone who discovers a similiar horror. So glad your beautiful, tough ol' bird is going to be ok.

 

[Gargoyle]

Good news! One comment- be careful about using tweezers to remove the maggots, especially if they are alive. They bite on to the skin and tissue and hold on, so while removing the maggots you can unintentionally pull and tear the tissue, causing more damage.

 

[Sammster]

Good news! One comment- be careful about using tweezers to remove the maggots, especially if they are alive. They bite on to the skin and tissue and hold on, so while removing the maggots you can unintentionally pull and tear the tissue, causing more damage.

How would you proceed?

 

[Gargoyle]

How would you proceed?

We had superb results by spraying cold water on them with a large syringe. The worms fled, the eggs were flushed right out. You don't want to soak your chicken in cold water, that's a shock, but a small directed spray of cold water shocks the worms and gives a bit of pain relief to the chicken.