Little white worms just killed my chicken - what are they?

[All my hens are roosters]

Thanks everyone, I guess the consensus is maggots - a very horrible way to die, but at least it's over now and she is at rest.

I just can't believe how fast this happened.

 

[courtneyq]

I don't know if this is any comfort, but it probably wasn't the maggots that killed your girl. They only eat dead flesh--in fact, sometimes they are used to clean wounds--so she must've had another health problem or infection, just hidden. Recently I read on the HenCam blog (http://hencam.com/blog.htm) about a sudden maggot problem on the backside of a hen--posts on August 1 then August 8. You are not alone. Sounds like your hen had a nice long life with you. I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[the egg lady]

It must have been horrible for you to have to see. I dont mind blood, bones or guts but maggots really make me squeamish.

 

[sammi]

from Wikipedia:

"While gigantic maggots only eat necrotic tissue in living animals and are thus arguably symbiotic, certain types of maggots are parasitic, such as Botfly larvae. These larvae spend part of their life cycle as parasites under the skin of living animals. As a result myiasis can occur in the host causing symptoms from sores and irritating lesions to death. This is particularly a problem in warm and damp climates where flies multiply more rapidly."

"There are three main fly families causing economically important myiasis in livestock and also, occasionally, in humans:

* Oestroidea (botflies)
* Calliphoridae (blowflies)
* Sarcophagidae (fleshflies)

Other families occasionally involved are:

* Anisopodidae
* Piophilidae
* Stratiomyidae
* Syrphidae

The adult flies are not parasitic, but when they lay their eggs in open wounds and these hatch into their larval stage (also known as maggots or grubs), the larvae feed on live and/or necrotic tissue, causing myiasis to develop. They may also be ingested or enter through other body apertures."

 

[LynneP]

I came back to this post because of thoughts on blowflies and found the very helpful information posted- well done. I'd like to add that if you have rats nearby, hens can be bitten in the vent area, opening a perfect wound for fly/maggot infestation- very important not to expose our girls to rodents...