Need Help with Fly Strike-WARNING GRAPHIC PICTURES-NECropsy added

To be sure you get all maggots out of tissue, I used Catron IV screw worm aerosol successfully. They just fell out of the wound. I gently washed away the area, like you seem to have done well, with a shower head. There's a puff powder used for pinkeye called NFZ Puffer (nitrofurazone). Use a little triple antibiotic just enough to lightly coat the area. You can use a conservative amount of NFZ on the wound once it scabs over and starts to heal to keep it from infection. The tough part is preventing picking and reopening of the wound. A light spray of Bitter Apple chew repellent for dogs may help, or Vet's Best hot spot spray. I never used any antibiotics for this situation. I just made sure I supplemented water with nutrients. I'm glad you saw it before it was too late. Warm weather sure is a dangerous time if vents get dirty and flies are abundant to lay eggs on them. I trim around vents of some of the more feathered breeds to help keep things clean. A pair of scissors or electric clippers work well.
 
I think because the winter was so mild that we are having more issues. We also have had more rain these last two summers.

You are so right on! Most summers it rains almost every day, this summer- every day!!! This is the first year I've dumped moldy grain.

People rolls their eyes at me because I tell them I don't bathe my horse. Yes, I don't because she gets to keep all her protection as she is pasture boarded and gets a shower every day anyway!

Egg and Michael, thanks for the excellent advice. The wound is below the vent. I think my best purchase this year was a kitchen boning scissors , it cuts thru feathers like butter. I think I will be trimming all poopy butts. Summers, with the heat they all end up with some runny stool.

I probed her vent and it's fine. She's not drinking enough so I'll be doing Pen G injections. I have Baytril, but I don't know which one is more effective

Michael, she's too big to pick her butt. She's a Jersey. She's pretty quiet today. I'll give her some aspirin and a Epsom salt bath. My biggest worry is how swollen she is, I hope she doesn't have any peritonitis, but I think she does.
 
To be sure you get all maggots out of tissue, I used Catron IV screw worm aerosol successfully. They just fell out of the wound. I gently washed away the area, like you seem to have done well, with a shower head. There's a puff powder used for pinkeye called NFZ Puffer (nitrofurazone). Use a little triple antibiotic just enough to lightly coat the area. You can use a conservative amount of NFZ on the wound once it scabs over and starts to heal to keep it from infection. The tough part is preventing picking and reopening of the wound. A light spray of Bitter Apple chew repellent for dogs may help, or Vet's Best hot spot spray. I never used any antibiotics for this situation. I just made sure I supplemented water with nutrients. I'm glad you saw it before it was too late. Warm weather sure is a dangerous time if vents get dirty and flies are abundant to lay eggs on them. I trim around vents of some of the more feathered breeds to help keep things clean. A pair of scissors or electric clippers work well.

Unfortunately bitterants such as bitter apple don't seem to work well on birds; they seem to lack the receptors to be sensitive to the bitter 'flavor' that makes these products effective for mammals. As long as the hen doesn't pick her own wound, it might be best to isolate her so that the others can not pick it until she heals.
 
You are so right on! Most summers it rains almost every day, this summer- every day!!! This is the first year I've dumped moldy grain.

This year was exceptionally wet for us up north too. Until the last week or two, it rained nearly every day. It was a soggy mess all spring and summer, with a lot of flash flooding. This is the first year I've had to re-gravel my chicken run three times (!) because it just keeps sinking down into the saturated earth.
 
Wow. And now winter is coming for you!

She is separated. She's in a 4x5 foot coop with a wire floor and a nest. Underneath is open to Mr. Thor the rooster, and he is busy doing the happy dance for her.
 
Henrietta is not eating today. I will try tubing her tomorrow. Normally I would not get into tube feeding. But it could make a difference with her. The wound looks good, not worse. It poured rain all day so there was little I could do outside.
 
I've had good success with slipping bits of scrambled egg into the beak by prying the beak apart with the tip of my fingernail and sliding the egg in from the opposite side. THey usually will gobble it down and it seems to help sometimes "remind" them to eat.
 
I'll try that. She's not doing well. Keeps her eyes closed and doesn't respond to noise, her legs hang if I pick her up, ascities, . I'll soak her bottom and tube her. Or maybe I should just leave her in peace. What do you all think?
 
seminolewind...

I have just seen this thread about Henrietta...

So very hard for anyone to respond with thoughts as to whether to force feed her or leave her....

So many of us have been in a similar situation....it is one of the hardest decisions we will ever make for our beloved flocks...only you can make that decision for her...you will do whatever is right for her...

Bless you and Henrietta!
 

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