Hen has some kind of maggots, need advice quick

[Nif]

I recently had what I think was a hawk attack...found my favorite roo missing his head and neck. Two hens were missing, I found one that night but the other hen (Hazel) I didn't find until the next day. She seemed fine, I checked her out, she didn't have any visible injuries. She's been back since last Thursday, acting and eating fine. (she's an older hen, about 6 years I think) This morning when I opened up the coop everyone came out and I saw her on the floor kinda resting against the wall. I picked her up and noticed a bad smell, and when I looked at her underside there was a huge clump of greyish worms (look like maggots) but they are larger than any maggot I have seen, and there are a lot...the clump of worms is about 3 inches in diameter. Hazel still looks pretty strong, she isn't dying but a little weak...like I said, she was acting fine yesterday. I have her in the sick cage, and I am going out to clean her up. I have some alcohol to remove the larvae.
I noticed a little blood on a feather, don't know yet if the larvae created the blood or if she had a small wound that I didn't see...probably likely since she spent the night outside in the woods last Wednesday.
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[TXmom]

Awww...poor girl...sounds like you're taking good care of her though. I've read that Hydrogen Peroxide is good at killing the maggots and the eggs.

 

[usschicago1]

My rooster had that,
heres the link to what I did. It worked really well.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=227668

 

[Elite Silkies]

If she has a wound, I would start her on some antibiotics and keep the wound clean. Peroxide and maybe some antibiotic ointment.

Maybe speckledhen and threehorses will help you out, they are very smart when it comes to these things.

 

[Judy]

You'll want peroxide (not alcohol) to clean the maggots out, and penicillin injections from the feed store. You'll also want a product from the feed store (sold for horses) designed to kill any maggots you couldn't reach and prevent flies from laying any more eggs in the wound. Best to keep her indoors til she is healed. Once the maggots are out, just keep it clean and covered with triple antibiotic ointment. Give her some nutritional supplement like yogurt and cooked egg, vitamins and electrolytes.

You can do a search on here and find threehorses' detailed instructions for wound care, but that will get you started.

 

[Nif]

Thanks everyone for your contributions! Much appreciated. Gives me hope that I can save her. So here's the gross details...and let me tell you, I was going to have breakfast today, but I really think I will have to get good and hungry because it was a pretty nasty sight! I grabbed my saline solution that had some colloidal silver mixed in (a few weeks ago I had another hawk attack, but caught the beast in the act and scared him off, he left a hole in another hen's wing, which I cleaned with my saline/silver mixture, she was healed in a few days and had feathers growing back) anyways, I added some alcohol to this saline/silver, and squirted her really good. Lots of the maggots fell off but there were so many lodged into her skin. I then poured on some all natural bug concentrate that I have for horses. It contains neem oil, but I didn't make a solution I just poured it on full strength. The maggots really hated it and started to come out of the skin. It looks like she has 2 small wounds, one about 3 inches below her vent, and the other a few more inches down, on her belly.
It's hard to tell how deep they go, but I do have peroxide which I will take out and kill off some more maggots. I wasn't sure if I should use peroxide, but since 2 of you suggested it, I will give it a try. I will feed her some good yogurt too, thanks for the reminder. This is about the grossest thing I have ever seen!!
P.S. What kind of antibiotics should I get her? I could start her off by putting some silver in her yogurt.

P.P.S. I looked at some photos of maggots online and I think they are just fly larvae, not those scary sounding screw worms! I also read on one site that there are no screw worms in the US. (and seems they are on cattle, not poultry)

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

You need to flush the wound thoroughly. Get a syringe and thoroughly irrigate the wound with hydrogen peroxide--do not weaken it--this is a one time treatment (although you already used some, it does not sound like you went up into the wound). Hold the bird so that as you are irrigating the maggots, rotted flesh, dirt, and germs will wash out of her. Keep irrigating until nothing comes out expect the peroxide. At this point you want to rinse with an iodine/water mix to kill remaining germs. Then apply triple antibiotic. Last cover with SWAT or FLYS OFF to kill any remaining or newly hatched maggots (this is another one time treatment). Do not bandage, you want the wound open to the air, and to heal from the inside out.

Since the wound is on her belly, you should place her on paper or regular towels, not bedding. Bring her inside away from flies until the wound closes--this could be a week or more, depending on the size of the wounds. Remove any proud flesh daily, and clean and reapply triple antibiotic. She needs a strong antibiotic, baytril or penicillin.

 

[Nif]

Thanks SS...I haven't done the peroxide yet, so I will not dilute it. I also have a syringe so that I can flush it well up into the cavity. I have no problem bringing her inside, I will keep her in the garage with towels as you have suggested.
I have Magic Powder...should I use this for any proud flesh? And how do you suggest I remove the proud flesh?
So far I don't think there is any proud flesh because the maggots possibly eat that away...do you think?
I'm going out right now to flush with peroxide. Will send a report later.
Thank you, all!!

I cleaned Hazel's wounds by flushing with hydrogen peroxide via syringe. When I was done I didn't see any more fly larvae. The larger wound does have some blackened flesh around it, it's a little smaller than a penny...the smaller wound is a very small hole and the flesh looks pretty clean. I applied a product called Equr (anitbiotic, all natural ointment) which speeds up healing and will also keep flies from getting to the wound...it's a very thick, sticky substance, and bugs can't move once they land on it.
I'm setting her up inside. Hopefully her wound is not so deep, and she'll recoup. Thanks to all who sent me advice!

Sorry, one more edit! I called it Magic Powder but I meant Wonder Dust! My mind is not working right today!

 

[Nif]

Thanks, everyone, for the advice...Hazel is maggot-free and is recovering nicely. She's eating and drinking, and pooping okay, and her wounds seem to be healing. She's a lot stronger today also.
Does anyone know if Wonder Dust is safe for poultry? I'm concerned about proud flesh, although it's looking much better today.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I don't think you'll get proud flesh until the wound starts healing. At that point you may have to peel any off so that it can heal properly.

Sounds like she's doing well