maggots on chicken's hind end?

[MrsBrooke]

I am happy hear she has some appetite... If she's eating, it's likely she's drinking, too... Have you noticed the water going down in her dish any?

If you decide to tube, looking at your chicken head on, you want to insert the tube to the BACK-LEFT of the throat. The trachea is more right-ish, and it's harder to get down that than you might think... While it's possible, I've never even come close to accidentally tubing down the trachea. If you have your hand gently around her neck, you'll feel the tube slide down.



This is a peafowl, but the anatomy is the same. Just aim for the back-left of the throat and it should slide right down...

I might suggest lubing the tube with a little coconut oil or something. It's much nicer... Also, trim any "hard" edges... I use about 12" and find that is plenty. If you go slow, you'll feel the tube "bottom out" in her crop. Don't go past that point. Put your hand over her crop, and you'll be able to feel it fill up.

You should see her perk up within hours!

MrsB

 

[nancy lee]

Thank you for the picture. Your explanation is very good.
It has been very hard to find the tube to use. I got one at the drug store but it looks too big. I haven't tried it. I have been to about 4 places and called veterinary offices and feed stores too. Fortunately, although way too thin, she is eating a little rice I put out and oatmeal that I have added "exact" baby bird food.
Thank you

 

[casportpony]

Note that when the bird has not been drinking that one must tube fluids first. I give about 15ml per pound, then repeat in 60-90 minutes and every 2-4 hours after that until they start pooping normally.

Sent you a PM with my number, so call me when you get your tube and syringe and I'll help giude you through the process.

-Kathy

 

[Lynn Manes]

I am just curious about this as,of course, I'm very aware that chickens and other fowl have totally different anatomies and needs than do say cats and dogs. But here's my question. When my small 8 lb Maltese boy got fly strike last year, my vet gave him a pill that is known to kill fleas & their eggs within a half hour. It also works on maggots killing them asap. If the pill was diluted in water,do you think this would be a safe way to rid our birds of maggots? It is called Capstar. This can be used on very young puppies, too, weighing 1 lb or less. I don't know if my vet also treats fowl as so far I've not needed to take any of mine to a vet, so I've not asked him. Please give any input but nice only, bc I'm just curious if this could be a viable solution for all of us. Thanks.

 

[nancy lee]

I too, would like to know about the Capstar medication used for fly strike in dogs and whether it could be used for chickens as well.

I just had an intensive 5 days with my one chicken who had a severe case of fly strike. I tube fed (great instructions in this thread) and bathed my chicken in salt water , picked maggots for 3 days and slathered her in chlorhexidine ---and finally, yesterday, she appeared maggot free. she had not walked in 4 days and thought she had had a stroke but now in retrospect I think in her weakened condition plus, the water in her wings, she was just not strong enough.
She can stand and walk a few yards now. I am still tube feeding her with Pedialyte and "Exact" baby bird food, although she has tarted picking at food and ate half a corn cobb yesterday. I keep her separate from my 3 other chickens but they come to socialize with her around her cage. I think she will get stronger and once again roam the yard. She had been the big, bossiest, alpha chicken in the group.

Now, my question is this: Her rear end, the size of half a grapefruit, seems to have lost the soft pink/white skin that I notice on her abdomen and further up her back---will she regrow this skin to cover her end? It seems terribly dry and leathery right now.

 

[nancy lee]

My chicken is maggot free now for the 2nd day. She finally started walking a bit, too. I am still tube feeding (pedialyte & exact) because she remains weak and very thin. He breast bone is very prominent.
She clucks to the other chickens and now struggles quite a bit more when I tube feed her, which is a good sign I think. She is pecking more at her food but doesn't seems to want water. I hope I don't have to tube feed her much longer but, until she walks with vigor and eats & drinks more, I am planning to.

I asked in another thread, and not sure if you saw it, but I am worried about the skin of her hind end -about the size of half a grapefruit. The skin sloughed off with the fly strike disaster and left a dry and leathery area. I see the healthy white skin on her back and abdomen and think it should cover her tail end. Will this skin grow back ?
Thank you!

 

[GitaBooks]

I'm not sure, but I hope this link helps.

It would be awesome if it did work.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/226387/capstar

 

[MrsBrooke]

Chickens are remarkable creatures. Given the proper care and enough time, a chicken can bounce back from a lot.

I had a mama with a slice in her side from an overzealous rooster spur during a wild romance session. Didn't notice for three days... until her wound was open from her rib cage to her hip and packed with mud and chicken goo.

She healed (love that chlorhexidine!!!) with hardly a scar and feathers are even growing back! Once again, she's head chicken!

Just give her time. ♡

MrsB

 

[ShamiquaCoMo]

I'm dealing with the same thing, but didn't know it was called a Fly Strike until reading this post. By the time I noticed it, it was a total infestation (no idea how long this takes to develop). The vet recommended using permethrin. We bathed her in an iodine bath to get the worst of the maggots out and then doused her in a permethrin bath. She survived the night and seems to be eating more or less ok today - cooked rice, fresh corn, tomato, salmon pieces. I sprayed her rear end with diluted permethrin again this morning. We'll check her again this evening and see if we need to reapply. It looks like the infestation is gone but not sure how long I should keep the bathing up for? I don't want to over-toxify her. Would Neosporin help on the wound? She's isolated indoors enjoying being out of the heat. How long should we keep her isolated from the others? Is it likely the other hens are harboring maggots too or is a Fly Strike usually just on one chicken? Thanks!!

 

[MrsBrooke]

I'm dealing with the same thing, but didn't know it was called a Fly Strike until reading this post. By the time I noticed it, it was a total infestation (no idea how long this takes to develop). The vet recommended using permethrin. We bathed her in an iodine bath to get the worst of the maggots out and then doused her in a permethrin bath. She survived the night and seems to be eating more or less ok today - cooked rice, fresh corn, tomato, salmon pieces. I sprayed her rear end with diluted permethrin again this morning. We'll check her again this evening and see if we need to reapply. It looks like the infestation is gone but not sure how long I should keep the bathing up for? I don't want to over-toxify her. Would Neosporin help on the wound? She's isolated indoors enjoying being out of the heat. How long should we keep her isolated from the others? Is it likely the other hens are harboring maggots too or is a Fly Strike usually just on one chicken? Thanks!!

I would avoid the Neosporin in this case, but add chlorihexidine (find it at Walgreens next to the hydro perox) to the treatment regimen... Once the maggots stop hatching, you can treat with the chlorhex and nothing else. It's pretty good stuff. Just pour it in her wound and leave her be.

Neosporin creates a warm, goopy environment, and maggots love nothing more than warm goo.

I would keep her indoors until she's got no more exposed tissue. Chickens go for anything red and exposed.

Fly Strike occurs when poops get stuck to feathers and tissue, flies lay their eggs in it, and then maggots hatch and begin dining on your poor chicken. It's a good idea to check them all, but it can be an isolated incident. Trimming their hind feathers can prevent this as well.

Hope that helps!

MrsB