maggots, collapsed vent, dying hen HELP me pls

[chickima]

ANY advice will help - just took her out of the bath

 

[RosemaryDuck]

ANY advice will help - just took her out of the bath

I'm sorry no one has responded to you yet. If you could post pictures that would be a big help. I'll tag some others here to help you too.

It would also be helpful if you could provide a bit more information. How old is the hen, how long has she been like this, etc.

@Eggcessive
@azygous

 

[Fluffy_Feathers]

Pictures will definitely help.

It sounds like this is something that a vet should get involved in. If thats not possible, then make sure you get all the maggots off (do that regardless of vet, anyway). Hydrogen peroxide can help for hard to reach maggots, since they don't like it and will wriggle around, making them easier to grab. Though I wouldn't use hydrogen peroxide as an antiseptic since I have heard that it hurts healthy tissue, I'd just use it for getting the maggots off. Make sure to keep the wound clean. Keep her in a separated area, away from any flies as they may reinfect her. Make sure she's eating and drinking, and you may even want to put Nutri-Drench in her water (or something similar), or electrolytes. I haven't dealt with flystrike as severe as yours sounds to be but hopefully this will give you a sense of direction, at least until someone more knowledgeable comes and helps.

I also want to add that it sounds like your chicken's injuries are very extensive. If this is the case, the kindest thing you may want to do is to put her out of her misery if you think she's too far gone.

 

[azygous]

Even when you aren't capable of writing down all the information about your hen that could help us to help you, a photograph of the chicken can take the place of a lot of words.

Show us her eyes and how she's standing. And show us the wound so we can judge how bad it is. This can tell us if a chicken has the energy to recover or if she's close to death.

 

[Eggcessive]

Do you mean there is a prolapsed vent with maggots? Sorry about your hen, but flystrike is a very serious emergency. Soaking the area in warm soapy water, betadine, chlorhexidene, or Epsom salts would help to kill the maggots. Try to remove any with tweezers to get them all. Use a magnifying glass if needed. Maggot larvae can continue to hatch out for another 24 hours or so. If you have an permethrin spray or any horse ointment with pyrethrum in it, that can kill fhe maggots immediately. Plain antibiotic ointment can be applied to the prolapse. Repeat the bath in a day or less if she canntolerate it. Try to get her taking sips of water with electrolytes, and if you have Poultry NutriDrench that would be good.

 

[micstrachan]

Do you mean there is a prolapsed vent with maggots? Sorry about your hen, but flystrike is a very serious emergency. Soaking the area in warm soapy water, betadine, chlorhexidene, or Epsom salts would help to kill the maggots. Try to remove any with tweezers to get them all. Use a magnifying glass if needed. Maggot larvae can continue to hatch out for another 24 hours or so. If you have an permethrin spray or any horse ointment with pyrethrum in it, that can kill fhe maggots immediately. Plain antibiotic ointment can be applied to the prolapse. Repeat the bath in a day or less if she canntolerate it. Try to get her taking sips of water with electrolytes, and if you have Poultry NutriDrench that would be good.

Kim, do you think this bird might be too weak to soak? Maybe starting by spraying the maggots with permethrin to kill them and then clean her up?

I also think a vitamin boost might be good here since she’s likely fragile.