Need help identifying worm infestation

[Schmay]

When i was cleaning her up i decided it was more than i could handle, she is currently at the vet, i think i managed to eradicate majority of the maggots prior but i needed help cleaning the area, they will be getting back to me later as to her condition. At first glance it does not look too bad though, looks like i may have gotten on top of it immediately (i did move her away from the flies at the first sign of sickness, she has been inside with me being nursed the last 48 hours. I believe she may have been dehydrated to begin with and the flies took advantage and laid on her when she was unwell so i believe she's received a double dose of bad luck at the moment but fingers crossed it all works out, will post an update after the vet gets back to me plus any advice they give me.

 

[coach723]

Very glad you were able to see a vet. Hope she is able to make a full recovery, best wishes!

 

[Kneedles]

While this subject is still active, does anyone know if olive oil can be used to drown maggots when animals are infected with flystrike?

 

[Suzi18]

 

[PattyNH]

Not sure how accurate this is but I've seen a number of articles suggesting it... https://www.hunker.com/13405840/how-to-kill-maggots-with-peroxide

 

[Sue Gremlin]

I have found that treatment with a permethrin spray directly to the struck area is the easiest, least stressful and fastest method of getting rid of the maggots. Picking maggots can be pretty stressful to both you and the bird, and it can be so hard or impossible to get them all.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

When i was cleaning her up i decided it was more than i could handle, she is currently at the vet, i think i managed to eradicate majority of the maggots prior but i needed help cleaning the area, they will be getting back to me later as to her condition. At first glance it does not look too bad though, looks like i may have gotten on top of it immediately (i did move her away from the flies at the first sign of sickness, she has been inside with me being nursed the last 48 hours. I believe she may have been dehydrated to begin with and the flies took advantage and laid on her when she was unwell so i believe she's received a double dose of bad luck at the moment but fingers crossed it all works out, will post an update after the vet gets back to me plus any advice they give me.

@Schmay I'm glad you were able to seek vet care. I hope your girl recovers quickly.
Please keep us posted.

While this subject is still active, does anyone know if olive oil can be used to drown maggots when animals are infected with flystrike?

The oil would probably drown the maggots just like soap/water, salt water, etc. All I can think about is what an oily mess that would be! Oil would not be my first choice.

As @Sue Gremlin mentioned, some people use Permethrin or a product called Swat.
There are many ways/methods of getting rid of them.

 

[Schmay]

Ok so update so far .... PLEASE note.....THIS IS QUITE DISTRESSING
do not read if you are faint hearted

So Hodor (the chicken in question here) has been euthanized.

The facts as i know them are below

Friday about 6pm i noticed signs of heatstroke / dehydration (this was the third day in a row about 35 degrees celcius). All other chickens were fine it was just this one. I noticed flies persistently hanging around her at this time.

Separated her from all other chickens and tried to rehydrate her and give her soft food.
Saturday - not looking much better but more alert in the face. Hardly able to walk and still not eating / drinking much.

Next (cant remember when but was within 24hours) noticed maggots which promted this thread. Cleaned her up and started trying to clean her bum in fear of fly strike.

Was overwhelmed with the idea so ended up going to the vet the next morning.

The vet had her all day. They cleaned her up and noticed only a minor already healing/scabbing wound on her bottom and no sign that maggots had be feasting. In fact the only reason they even believed me about the maggots was that there was still one attached to the towel i bought her in on.

Because of this they began to suspect that the maggots were actually in her stomach.
they could feel that her stomach felt "different" and an x ray revealed that something was there but couldnt determine what was there.

The most concerning part however to the vet was not actually the maggots in her stomach but the reason why they were there. Generally speaking they were worried she had some kind of necrosis inside her somewhere (which can be caused by common problems that have persisted and made her quite ill ie cancer).

so have decided to euthanize as prognosis for recovery was slim to none, she was in a fair bit of discomfort and apparently there is no way to kill the maggots on the inside???? (has anyone ever had something they've found work for that??) Plus also the fact that there's a high chance there was something more sinister at play here.

The vets are doing a basic autopsy more so to make sure there isnt something that could be harmful to the other chickens, but will let people know the results of the autopsy. I would really like to know a cause to this as its one of those freak stories you hear every now and again and i just want to know why it has happened.

 

[Schmay]

Oh yeah please note...from my enormous amount of research i have done....if you want to collect maggots for sampling (so they can test the type etc), here are the steps

1. Confine animal for sampling
2. Gently flush the wound with running water
3. Using tweezers, collect up to 10 maggots from the wound
4. Place the maggots in hot water (just off the boil) for 10 seconds
5. Place maggots in a small container of raw vinegar and seal in a zip lock bag
6. send them in to be tested (generally go to your vet, and most areas should have a free testing area or cheap testing as its part of helping prevent against animal disease but i guess that also depends where you are.

 

[coach723]

I'm so sorry, but ultimately you made right decision. Reproductive problems (like cancer) are not uncommon, and those can often lead to symptoms (like dirty vents) that can lead to fly strike. If it was cancer, then there was nothing to be done, and letting her suffer needlessly would not have been the right thing to do. I don't think that if the maggots had gotten into her abdomen that she would probably have been able to recover from that either. I'm so very sorry for your loss.