Lusty's sick hen.....someone help me!!!!

[lusty]

Please....is there anyone online??? oh my god....

I went to check on my hen this afternoon....the cool weather has been bothering her the last couple of days and she had slowed down some...but today it is nice and warm. I couldn't find her anywhere...I finally found her with her head hidden behind the garbage can (where I keep their scratch)...and there were flies absolutely everywhere around her. I ran to the house and got out her "tub" and filled it with warm water and a bit of dish washing soap. I put on gloves and brought her up to soak. All these dead flies started coming to the surface...obviously having drown. Then I spotted white worm like creatures...some larger than others squirming in the water...omg they are coming out of her like crazy...I can't count!!!!! My kids are trying to help me. We're all trying to stay calm....

I dumped the water and we've started again....when I tried to look her over I noticed that they are coming in and out of her vent (or whatever the correct terminology is for a chicken). What is it??? What the heck do I do!!!! I hope someone can help me!!!!

 

[Chicabee19]

Oh my. So sorry your poor hen is going through this... sounds like she's had maggots in her vent long enough to hatch.

Hang in there....

I hope someone with a lot of experience chimes in with some good advice very soon!

I think first thing I would get a squirt bottle, fill it with warm saline and try to clean the vent area well. I don't know if you can actually aim the saline to the inside part of the vent...

I went to the chat room and asked for help, but I didn't recognize anyone who was in there. Let's see if someone shows up

 

[hinkjc]

Does she have an injury somewhere? It sounds like maggots coming out of her. Do you know what maggots look like? Or could it be a severe case of worms?

Jody

 

[Chicabee19]

whew... thanks for coming hinky! I didn't know what to tell her!

 

[redhen]

i'm sorry to hear of this....heres a bump up...Wendy

 

[lusty]

I'm sorry everyone...thank you for trying to help me. I talked to someone who told me she was dying from the inside out....and that I had to put her down right away. Since I'm not good at that kind of thing...I phoned my husband and he came home, we soaked a bath towel with ether and put her inside the plastic bag and closed her up into a rubbermaid container. She moved a few minutes later...I became a bumbling idiot (again) and my husband drove off with her.

I have just gone down to the hen house...I realize now that she had been bleeding today...there is blood everywhere. I'm just trying to regain inner strength to go down there and clean it up. I thank everyone for their help.

 

[Chicabee19]

gosh... so sorry you had to put her to sleep. Let us know if you find out what happened.

If you have other chickens I'd keep a very close eye on them, and maybe move them somewhere while you clean everything with bleach.

 

[redhen]

i'm very sorry for your loss...take care, Wendy

 

[seminolewind]

I think that catching it earlier would have not done anything. So sad, I would be bawling my eyes out too. Your husband was a brave and compassionate person-glad he was there for you.

 

[hinkjc]

I am so sorry you lost her. It sounds like maybe a predator had a hold of her. There were probably deep wounds somewhere and this was probably the best for her. I agree..I would have put her down too. It's a tough decision, but one we are sometimes faced with. :aww

Jody