Severe fly strike

[Alydup]

Our favourite hen is 7-8years old - the last couple days she seemed quieter and been panting, but we're in a heat wave. I noticed her bottom was poopy so I brought her in to soak and clean her up and was going to keep her out of the heat for a couple days inside the house as she doesn't do great in heat waves in the past. Once I got a good look at her she has severe flystrike. I soaked her a couple times in soapy water and irrigated it with saline and used some peroxide and picked out as many magots as I could with tweezers, but they seem to have borrowed into the skin and I can't get them all. Is it worth continuing to treat her or is it kinder to cull in this case since she is quite old and I already suspected her to be declining. I had to go out of town today for a doctors appointment with my daughter, and she seemingly spent most of the day just laying in one place quietly whenever I checked the coop camera

 

[DobieLover]

If she was mine, I'd euthanize. Not only is she older, if she has diarrhea you'd need to know what is causing it and stop it before she is returned outdoors or she will just be re-infested. I had to make this very decision 2 weeks ago with a 6 year old hen who had flystrike. Prior to getting infested, she'd always had other behavioral issues that were exacerbated by the death of my rooster a few months ago and I had considered euthanasia because her quality of life had declined severely without him around for her to stay with.

If you want to try, you need to keep soaking her and soak her for a longer period of time so the maggots will back out or drown. Soak her every hour to keep removing them as the eggs hatch. Don't use peroxide on her continually as it will damage the tissue.

 

[Alydup]

If she was mine, I'd euthanize. Not only is she older, if she has diarrhea you'd need to know what is causing it and stop it before she is returned outdoors or she will just be re-infested. I had to make this very decision 2 weeks ago with a 6 year old hen who had flystrike. Prior to getting infested, she'd always had other behavioral issues that were exacerbated by the death of my rooster a few months ago and I had considered euthanasia because her quality of life had declined severely without him around for her to stay with.

If you want to try, you need to keep soaking her and soak her for a longer period of time so the maggots will back out or drown. Soak her every hour to keep removing them as the eggs hatch. Don't use peroxide on her continually as it will damage the tissue.

 

[Alydup]

OK, thanks so much for the advice. I did read to only use peroxide once or twice and I've started putting Vetricyn on after, which I've had good luck with in the past with other wounds.
I just did one more soak and clean up before bed and it seems like I was able to get most if not all out for now. She's isolated inside for the night and I'll see how she seems in the morning and go from there. I've never come across fly strike in any of my chickens before and I have to say it is definitely my most horrifying issue yet.
My poor daughter is devastated at the thought of loosing her so I have to try but I'm also preparing her that she may not recover. She has been like a dog- comes when we call her name, pecks on the door to come inside, she's even been to the local pub patio for national drink with chickens day and to work with me at the nursing home I work at and was the star of the petting zoo because she's so friendly. We've never had another chicken like her

 

[Eggcessive]

I would try to get permethrin spray and apply it to her vent to kill any remaining maggots. Flystrike is very serious. It may require soaking her vent area several times over a couple of days, as the maggot larvae can keep hatching out for a day or two. Apply plain Neosporin triple antibiotic ointment to her vent which will help to smother the maggots. Many times when a hen gets flystrike, there can be an underlying problem or disability that makes them more susceptible.

 

[Alydup]

I would try to get permethrin spray and apply it to her vent to kill any remaining maggots. Flystrike is very serious. It may require soaking her vent area several times over a couple of days, as the maggot larvae can keep hatching out for a day or two. Apply plain Neosporin triple antibiotic ointment to her vent which will help to smother the maggots. Many times when a hen gets flystrike, there can be an underlying problem or disability that makes them more susceptible.

 

[Alydup]

Thanks, I am going to check if I can get permethrin today but not sure it's something available in my area. I read to use polysporin on one website but then also read that the moistness promotes a more favourable environment for the magots so I wasn't sure to use or not.

 

[coach723]

If you are in the US, permethrin products are widely available at most feed stores, tractor supply stores, etc.
You can get powders or sprays, sprays can be ready to use or concentrated that you need to dilute to correct dosing.
Look in the livestock section.

 

[Alydup]

a

If you are in the US, permethrin products are widely available at most feed stores, tractor supply stores, etc.
You can get powders or sprays, sprays can be ready to use or concentrated that you need to dilute to correct dosing.
Look in the livestock section.

I am in Canada. My local feed mill doesn't have it. I don't see any more maggots today, but I'll keep soaking and treating. She is eating some and pooping. I will kepp treating with the Vetericin. I'm still not confident about recovery but she seems a little brighter

 

[SkyAJK]

Might be put out fly trap to ease the summer fly. This is quite smelly and fly like it.
I ferment left over chicken feed, it smells so good to fly, unbelievable.

I use this in summer and I have to empty it every 2nd/3rd day because it was so full of flies. I hose my chickens bottoms when have water poops stick on them during the day.

They drink too much water on hot day so have watery poop.