Kind A Gross~you may want to pass this one~
I raised 4 chicks in the spring; they started laying this fall. Well one couldn't get an egg out and died about a week ago (now these are my babies). Wednesday another was standing weird when I went out in the early a.m. to feed. By Wed. night I remembered to check on her and she was alive but not doing well. I turned her over and she had crap stuck to her tail feathers and oozing maggots from all around her bottom; it was so gross, it about made me sick.
I went through this years ago with a manx cat and the maggots poisoned her so bad, but after a lengthy ordeal she survived and later I had to have her ass stitched to her pelvis bone to keep her rectum inside her body. It was a big deal with the cat for many weeks before she could walk.
With my chicken it's been easier as I really cleaned her out good of all the areas the maggots were into (just when I thought it was a done deal I'd lift back more feathers and find another pocket of them. Anyway I doused her with betadine solution (diluted) and then applied scarlet oil in all the places; clipped her feathers next to her anus and around her wounds, took her in the house and blow dried her and put her in a small box in my laundry room (packed with a towel and newspaper on top). I also blocked her in a small space so she could poop in her box and I could change her papers. This chicken cooperated right from the very beginning letting me do what needed to be done; she was like upside down and sleeping while I worked. That night she would be standing when I checked on her and so she needed her paper changed (from that time on; anytime she needed changing she'd stand).
The next day I found only 4 maggots in her box (I did a good job). When the vet cleaned up my cat; there were hundreds left when I cleaned her the next day.
Anyway Thursday morning she was still alive and even spoke to me in the a.m. When offered; she drank some water (which in my eyes was a good sign). By Thurs. evening I came in and she was sitting on a box of laundry soap, clucked and drank water. Friday (today) she is still alive and drinking water, by afternoon she took a few pellets and drank, later she took a few more pellets and by night time she just had a decent dinner and water; pooped and is comfortable. I sure hope she makes it, if she continues to eat and drink good I'll have to put her back in the coop or in a dog crate to confine her; she'll soon be wandering and I can't have that.
Anyway it's not for the faint at heart but I wanted to document this for my records. Till next time ~Peace & Love~
I went through this years ago with a manx cat and the maggots poisoned her so bad, but after a lengthy ordeal she survived and later I had to have her ass stitched to her pelvis bone to keep her rectum inside her body. It was a big deal with the cat for many weeks before she could walk.
With my chicken it's been easier as I really cleaned her out good of all the areas the maggots were into (just when I thought it was a done deal I'd lift back more feathers and find another pocket of them. Anyway I doused her with betadine solution (diluted) and then applied scarlet oil in all the places; clipped her feathers next to her anus and around her wounds, took her in the house and blow dried her and put her in a small box in my laundry room (packed with a towel and newspaper on top). I also blocked her in a small space so she could poop in her box and I could change her papers. This chicken cooperated right from the very beginning letting me do what needed to be done; she was like upside down and sleeping while I worked. That night she would be standing when I checked on her and so she needed her paper changed (from that time on; anytime she needed changing she'd stand).
The next day I found only 4 maggots in her box (I did a good job). When the vet cleaned up my cat; there were hundreds left when I cleaned her the next day.
Anyway Thursday morning she was still alive and even spoke to me in the a.m. When offered; she drank some water (which in my eyes was a good sign). By Thurs. evening I came in and she was sitting on a box of laundry soap, clucked and drank water. Friday (today) she is still alive and drinking water, by afternoon she took a few pellets and drank, later she took a few more pellets and by night time she just had a decent dinner and water; pooped and is comfortable. I sure hope she makes it, if she continues to eat and drink good I'll have to put her back in the coop or in a dog crate to confine her; she'll soon be wandering and I can't have that.
Anyway it's not for the faint at heart but I wanted to document this for my records. Till next time ~Peace & Love~