Maggots covering hens bottom🥺

[MamaBird89]

Hello everyone. I’m not sure what happened, but she was wonderful 2 days ago. As she is a very social butterfly, she’s always tended too very well. She’s one of my friendliest. I have no idea how I missed it, it had to happen within the past two days. I went to scratch her lower back like I do every morning(it makes her arch her back so I can easily check her vent every morning, as she is a meat chicken, and is overweight, I like to make sure she had no problems laying the nightly egg, and she enjoys it) well this morning, I did the same as I always do, and maggots. Oh my Lord the amount of maggots. Being so overweight, she has problems getting around, I’m guessing she just stayed in one spot all day yesterday under the shed, and her using the bathroom on herself attracted the flies, which I’m guessing hatched and starting eating her throughout the night. I believe she may have had a small cut from my rooster mounting her. I have no idea what to do. At this point I believe slaughtering her may be the best most human option. Suggestions? Has anyone had this problem before?

 

[CrazyChicken Lady]

Ohh goodness that is very bad...... I am not a expert on any thing like this but it has never happened to one of my girls, maybe you could put her in a cage and let her lose some weight, wash her bum and try to take of the maggots before they reproduce?? I differently not a expert on this but I think you should at least try to save her before killing her. Good luck.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Being so overweight, she has problems getting around, I’m guessing she just stayed in one spot all day yesterday under the shed, and her using the bathroom on herself attracted the flies, which I’m guessing hatched and starting eating her throughout the night.

At this point I believe slaughtering her may be the best most human option. Suggestions? Has anyone had this problem before?

She has FlyStrike. I agree with you - likely with her not being active and having a messy bum this attracted the flies. The maggots can hatch out in a short period of time.

It's up to you whether you want to treat her and see if she will heal - you would need to clean the area really well, pick out all the maggots - repeat soaks/cleaning and keep her where flies can't get into the wound. Once all that is cleaned up, then access how much damage is done - take some more photos too.
https://the-chicken-chick.com/flystrike-in-backyard-chickens-causes/

With her being a meat bird - some folks do keep them as pets. But slaughtering is an option if you feel she's suffering and not in good enough condition to recover from her wounds.

 

[MamaBird89]

I have put her on a clean door rug inside, I feel if I put her in a plastic pool with bedding it will get inside of that nasty hole I have cleaned her wound throughly, and picked out all maggots. I COVERED her from about midwing down in BlueKote. I have a sheet over her right now invade any flies get into my house. Kids are constantly swinging on that door! But she has cooled down, drank alittle water with electrolytes solution in it. She seems more comfortable inside anyways, but lord, she REAKS.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have put her on a clean door rug inside, I feel if I put her in a plastic pool with bedding it will get inside of that nasty hole I have cleaned her wound throughly, and picked out all maggots. I COVERED her from about midwing down in BlueKote. I have a sheet over her right now invade any flies get into my house. Kids are constantly swinging on that door! But she has cooled down, drank alittle water with electrolytes solution in it. She seems more comfortable inside anyways, but lord, she REAKS.
View attachment 2282328

If she smells bad, the wound make be infected. When you get a chance, try to get some photos.
Trim the feathers from around the wound and flush it out really well with saline, Chlorhexidine, Betadine or eve warm soapy water if that's what you have (rinse well when using soap).
Blue Kote is fine if that's what you've got, but you may need to use a triple antibiotic ointment as well.
The maggots may not be all gone, so you will probably need to re-soak her to see if there's more or more that hatch out.

 

[MamaBird89]

She has FlyStrike. I agree with you - likely with her not being active and having a messy bum this attracted the flies. The maggots can hatch out in a short period of time.

It's up to you whether you want to treat her and see if she will heal - you would need to clean the area really well, pick out all the maggots - repeat soaks/cleaning and keep her where flies can't get into the wound. Once all that is cleaned up, then access how much damage is done - take some more photos too.
https://the-chicken-chick.com/flystrike-in-backyard-chickens-causes/

With her being a meat bird - some folks do keep them as pets. But slaughtering is an option if you feel she's suffering and not in good enough condition to recover from her wounds.

I so appreciate the advice! I read this same article earlier before I made this post. At this point it’s so bad, she’s miserable. She’s been a good girl. I thought she would have a much longer life. When I got her from Tractor supply I had no knowledge of poultry at that time. They were all supposed to be hens and only one turned out to be a hen, which was her. Also didn’t inform me that she would eventually get so big that she couldn’t be independent in self cleaning like my other chickens are. I got my birds for the soul purpose of loving them until they die of old age. I didn’t realize I was a crazy bird lady until I got them. Whoever said a dog is a mans best friend never had a chicken. Because I thought I was all for dogs and cats until I got my birds. And of course I still am all dog/cat but having chickens and ducks and raising them from babies is just a bond like no other. They are such interesting, amazingly smart little creatures. But I realized buying from a source like tractor supply is so very unreliable. I seem to find such a great selection from reliable sources just at my local outdoor flea market. I recently added a few additions to my flock and they blended in wonderfully. I never expected to lose misses hen so soon, I have not had to personally slaughter one of my birds yet, but we are currently about to do what I believe is best for her overall. I love her too much to watch her suffer, I separated her and tried Keeping her in the house and she freaked out. Thank you all for the wonderful advice. RIP to the best Misses Hen I ever had. Here is some better pictures, of some much better times. She lived such a happy life, filled with so much fun and love.

 

[Pullet Press]

I am so, so, SO sorry for your loss. IN the pictures, she looks like she was a sweet hen.

 

[Andrea5718]

For the future... flystrike is fairly easy to treat if you catch it early. A nice warm bath with a couple of tablespoons of sea or kosher salt. Or table salt if that is all you have. I usually do it in the kitchen sink so I can use the sprayer. A good dollop of dawn dish soap and a generous amount of peroxide. Glove up and start bathing her bum. Get off as many of the maggots as you can. Hopefully it is a warm day where you can isolate her and let her dry. Check her later as you might have to repeat the treatment a time or two. Last run-in I had with this problem was one of my roosters. You can pretty much tell when they have it. Tail will droop, off it's feed and quiet and laying down. I was lucky. I got him cleaned up with one bath! Just been checking him regularly.
Andrea

 

[CluckerFamily]

I'm so so so sorry for your loss. Losing a member of the family is tough.

 

[MamaBird89]

I am so, so, SO sorry for your loss. IN the pictures, she looks like she was a sweet hen.

She was wonderful! So social! Would come up beside me and pull on my shirt and make noises wanting to have her back stroked. I just done it, and it was my first slaughter also. Boo hooed like a baby at 11:30 at night Bet my neighbors are wondering I used the broomstick method. I soothed her. I didn’t even watch and my husband disposed of her, but was too sissy to do it. I’m at peace. She went instantly, barely even flopped. Burying her now. Thank you all!