Nasty Black Infection Under Vent - How to treat????

[Sandramyoung99]

Hi All,

Yesterday I noticed that my barred rock had a pale comb and wattle. Upon closer inspection today, her entire vent area looked awful. I was sure it was an impacted egg or prolapsed vent. I gave her an Epsom Salt bath and the vent was fine. Under the vent is a nasty infection. Also, in the bath we noticed small white worms, largest was about 3/4 inch. So, she has worms.
1 - What is this infection and how should I treat it?
2 - What kind of worm might she had? Can we still eat the eggs?
3 - Does DE really work if you work it into their feed as a wormer?? I have worked it into their feed and dusted coop and run.

THANK YOU and GROSSED OUT!

 

[C3 mommy]

Looks kinda like fly strike.. @casportpony @WVduckchick @Cyprus

 

[coach723]

I think your 'worms' were actually maggots and you are dealing with flystrike. This is when flies lay their eggs in a wound or in droppings built up around the vent area. The eggs hatch and the maggots actually feed on the chicken. This is serious and if not dealt with can be fatal. You need to clean it up thoroughly and make sure all maggots are removed. Continue to check for them as they can continue to hatch. Here are a couple of links with good info for you and treatment suggestions, easier than me trying to type it all here: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/flystrike-in-backyard-chickens-causes/
https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/flystrike-a-chicken-killer-cuddles-beats-the-odds-again/

 

[Eggcessive]

Flystrike. She has gotten infested with maggots. It may have been from a peck wound, but flies have laid maggot larvae into the wound. Give her a warm bath with soapy water or betadine in it. Soak her and pick off any maggots visible. Then put on plain neosporin ointment on her wound. Repeat the bath in the morning, and reapply ointment.

 

[Cyprus]

Agree with all above.
You are most certainly dealing with flystrike. Those white worms are maggots.
Grab a pair of tweezers and some mineral oil. Use the mineral oil to flush out the existing maggots and pick them off with tweezers.
After that, apply a triple antibiotic oitment with no painkillers. Use guaze and medical tape to wrap her wound. Change the bandage daily and continue to check for maggots.
Giver her electrolytes during treatment.

 

[vanlash]

I lost a hen to that. She was too far gone when I found her.

 

[WVduckchick]

You can also spray her with permethrin if you have any.

 

[Sandramyoung99]

You all are right! Thank you so much! And now, I will be having lots of nightmares over this experience. Not sure I have the stomach to pull maggots off of a vent. Permethrin, really? It looks so painful, the site.

 

[coach723]

Permethrin is a lesser evil than being eaten. If you are up to it and are able to check her several times a day and clean them off if more hatch you can just do it that way. You can also use screw worm spray, it's intended for killing maggots on animal wounds: https://www.drugs.com/vet/screw-worm-aerosol.html

 

[Sandramyoung99]

Well, good news. My awesome mother-in-law came over and gave me some brave. We gave Red another Espom salt bath for 20 minutes. She loved it so much she fell asleep. We inspected the water with a flashlight, no maggots. We dried her and inspected her wound/vent, no maggots. We applied diluted iodine. She was very relaxed the entire time. She is back in her isolation cage with some pumpkin seeds. We shall see what tomorrow brings. I plan to buy something like the Screw Worm Spray. Thanks all!