OK, you asked for it. I never said I wasn't wordy.
I'm interested in your input.
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The argument whether or not maggots are beneficial to wounds seems as endless as time itself. However, I think we should move on from that to what to do if you have a bird that ends up with maggots anywhere on its body. This is unfortunately a rather gross topic, but as chickens tend to attract flies, its a necessary one. So lets attack it.
Before I start, Id like to say that this information comes from research as well as hands-on, practical experience for over forty years with various livestock and poultry. I also have worked in a vet clinic and, unfortunately, seen many pets come in with maggot infestations. That being said, I am not a veterinarian and I always advise that the best and preferred course of action is consulting your good veterinarian with avian experience always. This article is meant to inform the layman fancier and help them to deal with situations in which there is no vet readily available and to prepare the bird until a vet is available. None of the following advice is intended to replace that of a veterinarian ever.
First, a little bit about maggots. Most people know that they are the larvae of flies, of course. However what most people dont know is that it only takes one fly to produce up to 300 larvae within as short a period as one day! In warm weather, some larvae can hatch within 12 hours. Flies usually choose a place that is moist and warm to lay their eggs. This could be a wet spot on the ground, decaying vegetation, a carcass, or an unfortunate chicken.
Most maggots will only eat decaying flesh. However, screw worms DO eat living flesh and, when found, are associated with livestock. While the flies themselves are relatively easy to distinguish from other flies in the barnyard, their larvae are not. There has been an eradication program in place. However, livestock and poultry owners are still advised to be on the lookout for these flies. If you find flies around your bird that are blue-green and twice the size of a normal fly, and there are maggots, it is advisable to take a sample of the maggots for examination by your local vet or ag extension. As for the layman, it is best to assume that any maggot is a bad maggot to be eradicated as soon as possible.
When an animal presents with maggots, its best to prepare first aid supplies like you would do for any wound with a few additions specific to cases where maggots might be an issue or threat. Be particularly careful to wear gloves, two pairs per hand if necessary. Also be sure to keep supplies at hand in case you need to flush out your eyes, mouth, etc.
Find an area where you can look at the animal carefully with good light and a washable surface. Be sure none of your other poultry are around. Where you examine the bird depends on your situation. Ive had just as much luck on the back of a truck tail-gait as I have in a sink for small birds or in a tub for larger ones.
The similarity between these areas is that they all can be hosed off and liquid can run off them, the surfaces being easily disinfected afterwards. This is very important.
Quickly put on clothes that you can ruin. If you have an apron that you can bleach to put on over your clothes, waterproof being ideal, then please do.
The area where maggots are present must be examined carefully. Smell the area for the offensive smell of necrosis (rotting). Look at the liquids coming from the area and make a note if theyre the normal color of pus, or if any are dark brown liquids. If the maggots are near a natural opening of the animal (eyes, mouth, nostrils, rectum, etc) take particular note that there might be migration of the larvae (depending on which fly type laid them) into the body.
Then, using warm water preferably, wash the area off vigorously. Try not to get any of the animal wet other than the area on which there are maggots so that they dont chill. You will literally try to knock off as many maggots as possible with the force of the water. Dont make it overly harsh, but at least as strong as a shower. If you cannot do that, knock as many off as you can using less water pressure. Then use large syringes filled with water (and possibly a little hydrogen peroxide) to knock more off.
This harsh action should help clean the area of debris so that you can determine whether or not there was originally a wound in the area, or if any broken flesh is due to maggots or sores. The water will also help to work on getting the maggots to move so that they fall off, come out of holes, etc.
If you find that there are no deep pocketed wounds or orifices that the maggots might have entered, then you can simply use tweezers to pick the last of the maggots off and dress the wound as appropriate for the type of wound. Note: You will want to check the wound every 12 hours or so to make sure there are no new batches of eggs hatching.
If youre squeamish, sometimes doing this task under a red light helps. It makes the examination look a little less gross.
In cases where you find there are deep pockets, punctures, or an orifice into which maggots are suspected to have entered, more maggot-searching must be done. Ive used hydrogen peroxide before both to clean dirt out of deeper wounds (preferably diluted slightly with water) as well as irritate maggots so that they exit all small crevices. However, some people have used honey to literally smother maggots out of these wounds. It works. Whatever remaining honey there is in the wound afterwards will not necessarily harm the wound. It is important to get ever maggot out of the wound. Again tweezers are really good for this. If you happen to have hemostats, these work wonderfully as well.
If the maggots have gone into the orifice of a bird, then you have to determine whether or not they have in sufficient numbers to harm the bird. Always, veterinary advice at this point is advised. Each situation differs.
For all other situations, you will want to dress the wound as usual making sure that the method you use allows you to check the wounds every 12 hours for the few days until youre sure that the threat of maggots has passed. Also, you should consult with an expert as to whether or not an appropriate systemic antibiotic is necessary depending on the situation. Surface sores, quite like bedsores, that happen when a bird has had pasty-vent or gleet might not necessarily require systemic antibiotics but only topical ones. Deeper wounds and certainly animal bites or punctures might be a different matter. Whether or not you use an antibiotic depends on the case. However, if you choose to use one, you absolutely *must* use one that specifically acts against wounds. Do not depend on the feed stores recommendation of the average antibiotics for respiratory illnesses to do the job.
Also, as always, any medicated bird should receive probiotics to make up for the bacteria that are killed during use of antibiotics so that a secondary digestive infection does not occur.
In a case where maggots were present, I always recommend trying to prevent a re-infestation by the use of fly-repellant ointments or sprays. Keeping a wound dry helps, but sometimes the ointments we use still might attract flies, particularly in arid environs. There are a few products at your local feed store designed to help livestock and poultry owners keep flies out of wounds. Two of my favorite products are Swat (brand) ointment in the horse aisle, and screwworm wound spray. I prefer Swat as its a nice smelling and antibacterial ointment that is safe for use in animals. However, in cases where I prefer a dry wound dressing, screwworm spray for wounds definitely works. You dress the wound and then spray over the wound (and/or bandages) afterwards. I highly recommend both products for every poultry fanciers cabinet.
Once you are done dressing the area and the chicken is placed back in its seclusion, then the area where you cleaned the bird must be cleaned thoroughly. It cannot be stressed enough that your other birds must not be allowed to eat maggots. The very fact that maggots generally eat rotting flesh or vegetation should be enough to make us realize that they could possibly (and often do) carry bacteria that are harmful to our birds. Again as we are never quite sure whether the larvae of regular or screwworm flies, its best just not to take the risk unless one is a entomologist.
Thereafter, the bird should be treated as any stressed or injured bird. The emphasis should be on nutrition, hydration, and immune support. Always make sure that the bird continues to eat and drink normally. If it does not, take the situation in hand and nourish and hydrate the bird in appropriate and safe manners. It helps to use immune-supporting natural foodstuffs when a bird is stressed. If you help the bird fight from the inside, it is much more likely to survive.
I hope that as few people as possible ever have to encounter the horrifying and devastating site of maggot infestation. However, if you do happen to, I hope this article has been of help to you.
Good luck, and good health to you and your flock!
Please do not reproduce this article without the expressed permission of the author, Nathalie Ross. I can be contacted at
[email protected] regarding its contents.
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