What kind of worm is this???

[kcfuerst]

On wondered if anyone knew what this was.


http://s101.photobucket.com/albums/m51/K8tiecat/?action=view&current=20100403_Worm005.flv

One of my hens has been sick early her short life of one year. She recovered from a bout of tapeworm when she was small and it took a while but she came back and did very well. Recently I noticed she looked droopy so I fortified her with vitamins and extra protein, but she continued to look unthrifty. She ate like a champion, but had diarrhea. Today she looked particularly awful and had a bad smell about her, so I brought her in to give her a bath to clean her up and figure out what I should do with her. The sad news is the situation was far worse than I suspected and bless her heart, she is in chickie heaven now. Poor thing had these worms all over her rear and they were under her skin and had actually eaten her skin away, killed the feathers on her tail. It was very gross. I tried to wash them off, but she was full of them inside and out. I was surprised she lasted as long as she did, and sorry that I had not noticed something was up sooner.

If anyone can tell me what these are it might be easier to prevent or deal with if I ever encounter them in the future. None of my other birds have been affected by these parasites.....at least that I know of.

Thanks.

 

[rufus]

It looks like a fly maggot.

Rufus

 

[key west chick]

How long was the worm? I agree about it looking like a maggot of some kind. Poor girl.

 

[kcfuerst]

The first thing I thought of was fly maggot, too, but the maggots I have ever seen were white. This did not look like a fly maggot to me, although I could be wrong. These things were of a nearly transparent body with a teensy-weensy black head, and about 5/8" long.

Yes, poor, poor baby.

 

[Chickielady]

that is a fly maggot, maybe the hen had poo stuck on her rear end, (maybe from mites ?) and the flies lay eggs in there and the maggots take over.
Dust their feed with DE flour (food grade) lightly, and it will kill all worms in the chcikens.
so sad ! that must have been awful for her !!!!

 

[chickensioux]

It looks like a maggot to me too. She must have had some wound that the flies laid eggs in and the maggots developed. I would see this on occasion as a vet tech on dogs and cats. So sorry for your loss.