UPDATED serious flystrike

[Eggcessive]

The red spot looks like it is on the keel or sternum where breast blisters/pressure sores develop. These happen when the breast bone is prominent, and they spend a lot of time lying with pressure on. You could try padding it. Some disinfectant or antibiotic ointment daily may help.

 

[anomala]

Thank you all so much again. She does seem to have a prominent breast bone, and has been doing a lot of laying down and she is sleeping laying down. I will keep an eye on it regardless, and hit it with treatments as well.

Her crate is not that big. She can stand comfortably with plenty of extra headroom, turn around and move a few steps, but she's still pretty confined. Bedding is straw, that I am changing frequently (we found a few live maggots at the bottom of the crate early on when we changed it the first time, so being very diligent about full clean outs a couple times a day). She seems to be in great shape considering everything again this morning, standing pretty normally, greedily ate up some arugula leaves, chopped apple and feed the minute I put it in her crate, and vocalizing at me. Her color looks great. I feel like i need to give her some walk about time supervised in the garage (not an ideal space for that, and a little concerned about stressing her when I have to grab her again to put her back) and/ or improvise a larger crate. I really wasn't expecting her to have much time left when I first saw the wound, or at least not be in a state to be needing to move around more normally. It is crazy what they can endure, and even before this I'd guess she's probably my top one or two hens on the toughness scale. I swear if I let her out she'd join the flock and act like nothing was wrong (don't worry, definitely not going to be doing that).

The antibiotic ointment had been on my list, but I managed to forget about that one with everything else. I will start with that immediately today. Her wound did look dry (now that its cleaner) last night when I applied the pyrethrin and veterycin. I used a syringe to get both of those gently under the skin around the margins, prior to that I had been filling the wound and tilting her to let it run under. Really, really hoping today will be the end for the maggots (was hoping that was yesterday too tho).

It was sunny and really warm yesterday and the day before, so I wrapped her crate in some fine mesh netting to protect against flies and brought her outside for a flock mate visit and some sunshine. They came to check her out, and I fed them some scratch, and she ate her feed while they were eating. Maybe a silly projection (because it definitely did for me) but this seemed to have boosted her morale quite a bit.

 

[Eggcessive]

Vaseline or coconut oil could be a temporary substitute for the antibiotic ointment, if you apply a drop or two chlorhexidene or Betadine to it or the wound first. It (petrolatum/vaseline) is the basis for most ointments, including eye and skin ointments.

 

[anomala]

I had to go out anyway so got some triple antibiotic cream without painkillers, and the betadine arrived while I was out (thank you on the tip for generic, I will keep that in mind for the future). Seems like two important things I should have in the kit for animals and humans.

Besides the soaks in epsom, I'm going to continue with the salt flushes with syringe (which I'm considering adding a little betadine to now that I have it), permethrin until I'm sure the maggots are gone, and probably still veterycin (I feel like I can get this under skin where I wouldn't be able to reach with the ointment). Is blotting this dry before applying the ointment good, or should I wait until it's thoroughly dry to apply ointment?

 

[Eggcessive]

You could blot it gently. It would take a long time to dry completely. You are doing such a good job. Let us know how she is getting along.

 

[anomala]

Thank you all so much. Your help and support mean a lot to me.

We got to soaking a little late today, but this is the first one we are finally maggot free. I am so happy for her! I don’t know how deep under her skin they had gone, so could be more that are really lodged I can’t see, but hopefully we finally kicked them. I’ll do another 30 min soak tomorrow morning, but if we still have no signs I’ll probably cut back to one shorter soak a day and maintain the multiple saline/ betadine flushes followed by veterycin, and the triple antibiotic is now incorporated in that routine. She ate quite a bit today (starting to wonder if there is a too much?) and is currently doing a little preening. I haven’t seen her try to mess with the wound yet. I’m now also adding a little colloidal silver to her water (sovereign silver 10ppm, starting with 8 drops). Seems like there’s mixed info out there on that but figured we might give it a try. If the maggots are gone the big thing we have to focus on now is healing and preventing infection, which I feel like might be tough with this wound.

The sore on her chest remains the same, I’m treating that as well and keeping an eye on it. I’m going to try to improvise a larger enclosure for her to have more space and possibly roost as opposed to laying down so much.

 

[coach723]

The silver is pretty safe. Most warnings are for people with long term heavy use as it can turn you blue. Don't think a chicken would care, and you aren't giving enough for that anyway. Glad things are looking better. Healing may be slow as it's a fairly deep wound, but fingers crossed, all will be well in the end.

 

[WhatsUpDuck]

The people who turn blue use the wrong type of silver. I have ordered from mountain well being (it's based in NC) for over 15 years! I have had 5 children 3 of which were by c-section and all of my teeth removed for dentures. And it has always kept infections at away!
https://mountainwellbeing.com/

I am not sponsored in any way like I said we have just used them for years and have zero need for antibiotics!

 

[Bsmac]

She has sure had quite an ordeal! Our educators have done a great job helping you through this. Looks to me like you have done a wonderful job taking superb care of her! She is such a pretty bird! I hope her progress continues! Best of luck with her!

 

[Folly's place]

All the best from me too! Glad you didn't see more maggots this last time, it's such an awful situation.
Permethrin in the area and on her everywhere (safe dose only) because of those errant eggs and tiny maggots. If she doesn't have a major health issue that started all this, she may make it, thanks to your care. We used to use Furacin ointment, gone now, and my preferred ointment is now Silvadene, which is Rx only.
Mary