Rooster being eaten alive by maggots - Miss You Cloud!

[Mykee]

Our 3 year old rooster ahs little white worms all over him! It looks like he is being eaten alive. He is very lethargic all of a sudden, and smells rotten.

Does anyone have a shampoo or other remedy that might help? I am going to give him a bath now.

 

[llaaadyel]

Sounds like he must have some sort of wound on him. I think you can use baby shampoo on them or dog shampoo.

 

[welasharon]

Ugh! I went through this with cats and rabbits. The vet said to pick them out if they are embedded; that if I killed them they would release a toxin and that could kill the cat/rabbit. If they are just on the outside and not embedded you should be able to get them off.
sharon

 

[Mykee]

We just bathed him in a very mild bleach slolution; it was the only idea we had. I think a baby shampoo would be too mild. I don't think he is wounded. I think it happened because his feathers around the vent got very dirty in the winter. I though he would just clean them up like the rest of the chickens do.

Sharon, I don't think that they are actually in him, but if they were, I don't know how we would pick them off because of all his feathers.

 

[jjthink]

Poor fellow. Is he eating and drinking? Try to get some nutrition into him. If you can get some good mealworms fast, he may be willing to take those. Does he like sunflower seeds? Watermelon? Any decent food that works is better than nothing.

I am concerned that there may be a wound and that antibiotic may be crucial. From your description (especially the lethargy), it sounds like he is in need of speedy intervention. If you are able, a vet may be needed to get him through this. Do get Polyvisol liquid children's vitamins and administer 3 drops daily, gently along his beak line via dropper so he swallows on his own and doesn't choke. The stuff tastes like crud so try to follow with something really tasty (e.g. a few blueberries cut in half).

Please keep us posted. I am really worried, based on your description of how he's acting. Lots of reassuring words, TLC....and fluids, which can be delivered via yummy fruits - e.g. cut up grapes.
JJ

 

[Mykee]

Thank you for all your help. This came so suddenly, I don't know what to do. I don't have mony to spend on a vet.
Do you know of any safe insectside powders I could use? he doesn't have any interest in eating, but it's getting dark here and I can't try anything fancy.
Do you think he will make it through the night?

 

[welasharon]

So did it seem they were more around the vent area? It is possible that they are feeding on the poo. Check him good to see. I hope that is it. That would be easier to deal with for sure. Good luck!
sharon

 

[welasharon]

Do you have anything? Seven? I have no idea if it would work but it is a contact killer so if you have some you could drop some on one and see if it kills it.

The two main things are to eliminate the maggots and then to hydrate the bird. If after getting them off and getting some liquid in him I would try maybe some mashed boiled egg or yogurt.
sharon

 

[ChickyChickyBaby]

If he has maggots on him, he has an injury. Maggots only eat rotten or dying meat. A very foul odor from what I read.
Maggots also basically burrow. They will be under the skin also.
You will have to clean the area.
Once clean you should be able to see where the maggots are burrowing with the skin moving unless they are very deep. Check all around the vent, and under the wings.

I know there were some old threads on here discussing maggots I will see if I can find them.

You will have to pick them off & out.

Here is a thread with some info. Maggot Help

You can also use the google search feature at the top to find more..

 

[Doormantnt]

Hey sorry to hear bout your rooster, but I'm dealing with the same thing with one of my hens.
I noticed her on friday, and she was COVERED, but has obvious wound.

I washed with warm water and bout 2 quarts of peroxide, and packed with neosporine the first night (friday), and picked some maggots out of and off of her. She handled it like a trooper, but had enough after bout 45 min. So I put her in cage in basement. Saturday morning when co-op opened I got a product called....SWAT made by Farnam it is a insect repellent for wounds, and it looks like it kills the larva to. Saturday morning I washed her again, used a saline solution (no more Peroxide after day one) used the SWAT onitment, then covered with Blue Kote. when I got home from work saturday, maggots were GONE. I know for a fact I didn't get them all, but she showed no signs at all of them. There were dead on the towel, but I couldn't find any on her.

I continue with the saline washes, and either SWAT, or neosporine depending on how she looks. She is willing to eat egg, yogurt, and little mash, but now I think drinking may be a problem. I have medicated her water, and she not really touching it.

Good luck, and God bless.
TNT