Stella's Social Club

[The Sheriff]

I think I may have emu eggs this mating season! Took this video this morning. Turn your volume on to hear the drumming!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Just finished checking on everyone outside. Momma, one of my Cream Legbar hens, was acting lethargic so I picked her up to examine her and found maggots in a wound on her rear.

Scared me to death. Once I got it cleaned up I could see it really was not very big, maybe a dime size pocket wound up under her skin. It cleaned up really easily and she's in a plastic tote in the garage while it heals. Yuck, that's the first time I've had to deal with that. I trimmed her butt feathers, washed the caked poo off with water and dish soap, cleaned the wound with hydrogen peroxide, rinsed well with water, and packed it with triple antibiotic cream. She has some colloidal silver in her water. There were about 20 maggots in the wound and I made sure I got them all. Anything else I should do for it?

ETA: YUM on the berries! Post some yummy pictures later!

Unfortunately, I have dealt with maggots this year. The flies have been horrid.

I had an English Orp that I regularly trimmed her rear. She laid an egg 2 days before I found the maggots. I cleaned the wound, but it was too late, the smell from the wound was horrid. So I put her down.

A few weeks later, the 2nd hen was a welsummer. Welsummers do not get poopy butts, so I was really confused. She was also in the other coop, so not the same one as the Orp. I was able to completely heal her - got all the maggots out, cleaned the wound and applied Vetericyn wound spray to the wound. That stuff is amazing. She was scabbed over by the next morning and the wound had reduced in size dramatically. Sadly, she had crop issues as well, which I was able to clear her crop - but it was too late, she was already skin and bones and she didn't make it.

I'm starting to wonder if their poop changes when they start having laying issues, and the flies are attracted to that. It was more of a blackish color on the back of their rears.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I think I may have emu eggs this mating season! Took this video this morning. Turn your volume on to hear the drumming!

Cool! That hissing sound was scary!

 

[debs_flock]

Quote: If you're going to wash it out, I'd use betadine. Hydrogen peroxide is no longer recommended for wound care. They've discovered it actually damages healthy tissue and retards healing.

I am also a HUGE proponent of Vetricyn. My vet is the one that told me about it. She said she uses it for everything.

Good luck, poor girl!

 

[lonnyandrinda]

If you're going to wash it out, I'd use betadine. Hydrogen peroxide is no longer recommended for wound care. They've discovered it actually damages healthy tissue and retards healing.

I am also a HUGE proponent of Vetricyn. My vet is the one that told me about it. She said she uses it for everything.

Good luck, poor girl!

Thanks, I had heard that as well but all I had on hand was hydrogen peroxide and I figured that was better than nothing. I have Vetricyn eye ointment already but not wound care stuff. I found it at my tiny local feed store so maybe they have the wound ointment. I will have to stop by there tomorrow, it's only a few miles away luckily. When I looked the hen over just now I can't even find the little slit where the wound was- it is already scabbed over in the whole area so that's good. It was small anyway, a dime-size pocket under the skin with a hole small enough I couldn't even slip a Q-tip in, had to use tweezers to get the maggots out. Just hope there aren't any more fly eggs that will hatch under the skin later.....

I did notice though that she is having SUPER runny watery poo, the only solids being some white streaks. that's probably heat related, right?

 

[debs_flock]

Quote: I would keep a really close watch on the wound. You want it to heal from inside out. If it heals over, you may end up with an abscess and you'll have to reopen the wound. A shot of penicillin may help. The Vetericyn is a spray, gel or liquid. My vet recommended the gel spray, it stays put better.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I too have the gel.

 

[Hangtown Farms]

Here are the eggs I'm getting from my wellie pullets that just started laying. Large egg is from the mother hen, the other 3 are from the 2 pullets.

wow those are nice

 

[speckledhen]

Guys, please read this as a cautionary tale about infections and maggots. You may see a few maggots, but there can be a silent raging infection, originating from another part of the body and coming out in another location, ending with a fly strike. It's extreme, but happens more than we think. Just a heads up for you. This was bizarre and disturbing and happened to one of Suede's daughters, owned by Cetawin. Neither of us saw it coming, though when she hurt her leg, catching a spur (yes, she had them) in something, I told her to give Delilah penicillin after my experience with Zane's soft tissue injury and resulting hock infection. She did, but pen wasn't strong enough to kick out this infection and it ended up killing her eventually. It is a disturbing, but highly interesting read and would be educational. Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt, but saw the story on your thread and thought it bore mentioning.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/689889/leg-injury-infection-and-fatality-graphic-pics

 

[The Sheriff]

Hi Cyn! I love when you stop by. You are like the ultimate lurker! Thanks for the information.