worms or maggots - HELP

[Okie Amazon]

Normally peroxide isn't that great for wounds, but it will stir up and kill the maggots. Maggots can burrow in deep, so don't think you've got them all after one washing.

 

[kudzu vine]

she is in her own coop - in the shade because it's 102 here in N. Mississippi. Did put antibiotic cream after cleansing with peroxide. I found her in the corner of chicken house by herself, but she's now outside in the shade. Thanks for your reply. We'll see what happens. Can't believe I didn't notice this earlier. Start checking them all more often.

 

[Tikkijane]

Don't be afraid to pluck them off with tweezers if you need to, to get them all off.

 

[kudzu vine]

I did get alot of them off, but it looks like they are coming from inside. I believe she needs something to fit this internally. Any known natural remedy? Thanks to all of you for your replies.

 

[kudzu vine]

Correction - coming from inside the wound. Anything known to fight this infection internally?

 

[Okie Amazon]

Use the peroxide to keep "boiling" the maggots out.

 

[nuchickontheblock]

I would continue to use the peroxide for a bit. It disrupts wound healing, but at this point, you don't want the wound to heal over, until it is really cleaned out from the maggots and infection. I would apply antibiotic ointment after the peroxide wash. You could try to give her a warm bath every day, which might help her infection/inflammation to clear up faster. Also, nice clean bedding for her, maybe an old towel for her to sleep on. If she seems to be acting or looking sick, then you might want to try an antibiotic. Good luck. Keep us posted.

 

[humpbacks1962]

My oldest chicken was attacked by an opposum or a racoon. I put bacitracin on the wound I could see and put her down. She kept eating, drinking water and scratching the ground normally. Days later I smell this hideous stench and noticed that an infection of maggots was eating my poor Pepper alive. They must have laid the eggs in a scratch or open wound I didn't see.

I cleaned it with a hose and washed away hundreds of maggots. I could see how deep they burrowed in. I could see thigh muscle tissue and necrotic tissue hanging. I diluted some Listerine and sprayed the area with it. It killed many maggots. But moments later I noticed there were more coming from within her. The infection was deep.

I couldn't kill her, neither could my son or his friend. I decided to care for her and hoped she'd have the good sense to die soon. But she fought it. She stopped eating, then only drank water. The next day she didn't even do that. The day after that I found her dead with the darn maggots all over her. She somehow jumped out of her pen, which I had never seen her do. I think she just fought death to the last minute.

Now I see a fly getting stuck in my zapper and get so much joy out of it! They took a darn good chicken from me.

Anyone saying that maggots only eat dead tissue is wrong. They will continue to burrow into the skin and eventually kill the chicken. Whoever says it is good that they are on the wound because they only eat dead tissue didn't have a chicken die of an infestation of maggots.

 

[chkn]

Okay, listen, I don't care how bad the wound looks. Now rinse as many as you can off the wound. Fill the wound with SWAT from the feed or pet supply (it's a fly repellant for horses). It will kill off the maggots (they suffocate because they need to come up for air). It comes in a little tub. Some here have used neosporine in a pinch. Just make sure it isn't the kind with the pain reliever. Now you've got to do this and do this quickly. Don't worry about how bad the wound looks, it will heal. Right now you have to kill the maggots.

 

[kudzu vine]

update on Bobbie....I've been washing and had to use peroxide. They do just come out of nowhere. I can't imagine how many are inside of her. The skin around the wound is not red anymore, so maybe that's a good sign. Have no idea how this happened. I will get SWAT in the morning. I'll stick with it no matter the outcome. Thanks so much for all of you replying with great info. I'll keep you updated.