Skin opening below vent on two year-old Bantum Cochin not feeling well

[Eggcessive]

I would dilute the permethrin concentrate by adding 1 tsp per quart of water, and squirting some or use a spray bottle to irrigate the hole. Soaking her in it might cause her to absorb a little too much into her blood stream.

 

[Fontaine]

I would dilute the permethrin concentrate by adding 1 tsp per quart of water, and squirting some or use a spray bottle to irrigate the hole. Soaking her in it might cause her to absorb a little too much into her blood stream.

Thanks I’ll try that tonight.

 

[Fontaine]

I’m not sure if I’m adding to my post or this is just going to EGGCESSIVE. She’s been helping me immensely, but I wanted those who responded to to get my update. Last night she was so weak did drink some cantaloupe juice and a little cantaloupe, but that was it one bite of egg I had done the dip in Epson salt. And later irrigated with the permethrin diluted concentrate. I also gave her 250 mg of amoxicillin. Thinking back I probably should’ve flushed out the insecticide afterwards. I hope too much wasn’t absorbed. I can’t see any more maggots today but of course I don’t know where they’ve gotten to. Daphne‘s wound looks better today and less redness. She is still quite quiet but did eat a half a scrambled egg. I’m going to mix some of her electrolyte mix with cantaloupe juice, and see if I can get her drinking more. She is in a wire dog cage near the coop with a fan blowing on her. This is Florida heat, and until my mosquito netting arrives to cover the crate. The fan should blow away any flies. I don’t have that many but I guess it only took one. They shouldn’t be too attracted to her now as she’s so clean. The wound is dry but open.
This afternoon I’m going to do a thorough butt check on everyone. It’s only been a week but when this happened, I guess it doesn’t take long! I’ll keep you posted not such a long one. Don’t worry lol

 

[SmiYa0126]

Hello! Another way to get any live maggots is to use a squirt bottle with colder water and squirt the affected area. They love warmth and will vacate asap once hit with cold water.

 

[Eggcessive]

The permethrin flush in the wound has probably killed most of the maggots. I would probably keep her inside until the wound scabs over, just in case more flies are around. Thanks for the update.

 

[Fontaine]

It’s Thursday now and I haven’t written as it’s been up and down. Her sore is healing but she still has the issue of red swelling which initially I thought was water belly. She had been quiet for about a week before I found the fly strike during that week. I twice tried to aspirate and nothing came out. I’m very confused how that fly strike could’ve been going on and I wouldn’t have noticed it. She has no feathers in that area. I would’ve thought that I would’ve seen a skin lesion under her vent when I was locating the proper place to stick a needle. What I’m saying is I think the fly strike might be secondary to some problems she’s having. she is eating more yesterday and today ( vs nothing)but only if I hand feed her and encourage her .she will only drink water saturated with cantaloupe and then not much. It’s almost like she’s confused which I suppose her brain has been affected by this. She won’t drink electrolytes. She’s in a cage and seems very content .not all puffed up or anything. I don’t know if she’s in pain and I don’t know if she’s suffering. I took her out on the grass this morning with her friends ,who she ignored ,and she pecked aimlessly. Not trying to locate some seeds I threw out like the others were. after about 10 minutes she went to lay down, so I put her back in her crate. I’m continuing on amoxicillin. I guess it’s just watch and wait . Last night I noticed for the first time she was breathing with her mouth slightly open. I thought OK this is it but this morning she’s breathing normally.I did say I would check in. Thanks for the interest.

 

[Eggcessive]

Thanks for the update on her. I’m glad that she is hanging in there. You are right, many hens who get flystrike can have an underlying problem, many times a reproductive or crop problem.

 

[Fontaine]

I am always curious what the outcome is of some people’s problems with their chickens. So I thought I post the most recent follow up with Daphne. For the first week after cleaning her out from the fly strike, I thought any day would be her last. I had reached a point that I thought if she doesn’t pick up soon, I would euthanize her. This past week each day she’s gotten stronger, eating better and not hiding. the swelling at the base of her belly has gotten smaller.( I had initially thought she had water belly but she didn’t) fortunately, when I went to aspirate her, I noticed what I learned was fly strike. She’s one tough little girl and I have my fingers crossed for her. I’ve tried everything to give her extra nutrition, but she’s not having it! I put extra areas of chicken feed around to make sure it’s available for her. She’s at the bottom of the pecking order now. She’s not however, being bullied.

 

[Eggcessive]

So glad that she has recovered. Do you have any follow up pictures of her wound healing? Can you take her aside and feed her some wet chicken feed, some cooked egg and occasional ground meat, tuna, or salmon?

 

[Fontaine]

Yes, I’ll get some pictures when I can get someone to hold her. The skin never closed due to the size of the opening, but I guess it would be the scarring that has closed the area further in.. I’ve tried everything to get her to eat eggs tuna chicken. I can’t feed her, of course around everyone and when I pick her up and take her elsewhere, she’s too upset to eat .when I let the others in from free ranging into a fenced area. I’ll shut the gate fast so she’s alone then I’ll set her food down out of sight of the others and she still won’t eat it. If she’s resting somewhere I’ll take the others away and set a plate down for her and she still wouldn’t eat. It seems she only wants to eat when she’s around the other chickens and when she decides it’s time to eat.it’s almost comical the length I’ve gone to slip this bird a meal on the sly. She sees me coming and gets very suspicious. I put her in a dog cage with the food. Nope .I do watch her now and I do see that she is eating the Purina all flock . I have a scrambled egg in the refrigerator for her now as I write this, and I’m trying to think of something creative I haven’t tried. thinking she’d like to dine with a friend I included the two other Cochins to share the bounty. They are pigs. They are fast and they don’t share so that was a no. She is gaining some weight and is more active so I hope that’s going to do it for her.
I should add it’s not the food that I offer her that she doesn’t like because when I throw that kind of thing to the group she comes running. She’ll eat anything, but unfortunately, the more aggressive birds get most of it.