help - large external ulcer [w/graphic pic]

[avoelker]

Today, I found my 3 year old Rhode Island Red hen, with a large area of torn skin, just below the vent.

I soaked her a few times in an Epsom Salt bath, and removed 100+ maggots and drained the yellow area, and removed part of a soft egg from her vent. I covered the area with a gauze pad and Vetericyn gel and Preperation H, and are holding it in place with a carefully fashioned stretch bandage.

Is my hen curable, with skin regrowing, or is she a goner without advanced treatment, perhaps me suturing the skin, if there's enough?

 

[QueenMisha]

Home recovery is usually an option but this is... extreme. If you can't afford a vet visit I would euthanize immediately to prevent further pain.

 

[Cebarmlds]

That looks like fly strike to me, it could be fixed but a lot of work and close supervision! I would cull. Sorry.

 

[Mutt Farm]

Tough call for you. You've certainly done everything possible so far. Unless you are 100% sure you removed every fly egg, they will continue to feed on her tissue. IMO, as large as the wound is, suturing the edges, if you have enough healthy tissue may be possible but not the entire wound. Suturing may provide a better environment for infection and maggots to grow. I'm just not sure how you could close that wound successfully.

 

[LeafBlade12345]

That looks extremely painful. Think about it, if you had a gaping wound like that which hurt and couldn't be properly healed, would you want to stay in pain? Please cull your chicken if you cannot afford veterinary care, this is a very serious injury, not a normal cut or scrape.

 

[Mutt Farm]

That looks extremely painful. Think about it, if you had a gaping wound like that which hurt and couldn't be properly healed, would you want to stay in pain? Please cull your chicken if you cannot afford veterinary care, this is a very serious injury, not a normal cut or scrape.

With all respect to your reply, the OP didn't mention not being to afford veterinary care.

 

[LeafBlade12345]

Of course, I didn't assume that, I just said that IF they didn't they should put their chicken down. Now I think maybe I should have been more clear...sorry

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. That is a bad case of flystrike as posted above. You may be able to save her if you have the time for intensive treatment for a couple of weeks. I can't post links at this time, but go to the top of this page to the search, and enter "fly strike," and you will see pages of threads to read with advice. Keeping vents free of droppings in summertime is the best way to prevent fly strike. Good luck, and please give some updates on her condition.

 

[Violetsfeathers]

I had a hen that I found like that too, we had to kill her we didn't think she could be healed.
The maggots only eat dead tissue right? So really, they're cleaning the wound. But then again, I don't know anything about that.

 

[avoelker]

I appreciate the posters above for identifying this issue as fly strike. I had no idea, and it must have manifested from nothing to the current situation in just a couple days. Now that I've investigated the matter, I shall endeavor to provide the intensive treatment required. She is eating, drinking, and walking about. I'm sure her rear is uncomfortable, but I'm not ready to cull her. I'll post updates in this thread.

Thanks!