Not eating, yellow pop, worm?!

Hello, my fist post here but I’m searching for some possible answers and/or advice.

My chickens are all about 4 years old, savd from a battery farm so when I got them 2 years ago they had virtually no feathers across their chest etc. anyway they have thrived in our backyard and are lovely ladies.

The past two days I’ve noticed ‘Red’ has been off food, looks very fat (it’s all feathers plumped out) and certainly not laying. We have just come out of some horrible wet weather so I thought let’s just see if she’s depressed from weeks of rain. I researched and Today I’ve given her a bath, noticed all the matted feathers around the bottom end and some under her - I originally though she had sat on an egg but on inspection it’s all poo. I’ve cleaned her as best I can, she didn’t fight the baths at all, have dried her as best I could (it’s beautiful sunny days today also) and placed a bowl of water and apple cider vinegar in front of her which she has lapped up for the past three hours - other chicken also seem to be loving this. I’ve never given it before.

I took some photos of her rear end, hope it’s to post. Noticed one of our other chickens seems to want to help clean her rear section but when I looked closely after bath I saw a 10mm white/brown worm craw up into her butt. She is now sitting g back in the dust area she seems to love, but still not eating and I’m u sure what to do honestly. I know she’s not well.
Our vets here don’t really do chickens… any advice? The other 3 chickens all seem fine, eating drinking and laying eggs… advice greatly appreciated.

well to update I have seen her drink quite a lot of the diluted apple cider vinegar that was mixed in the water bowl today. I’ve made her a special box filled with sugar cane mulch to sleep in and covered it with a towel for extra warmth and placed her in it and it inside the regular nesting area. She hasn’t touched food at all today.

She seems very large compared to the rest but it seems to be like she’s fluffed out all her feathers? No further poop in the box or where she has been sitting for past few hours.

If anyone has any ideas I’d be greatful.

It sounds like Fly Strike, not good. Here's a link for you to read about it and what to do:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/flystrike-in-backyard-chickens-causes/

dawg53 said:

It sounds like Fly Strike, not good. Here's a link for you to read about it and what to do:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/flystrike-in-backyard-chickens-causes/

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Thanks - I did already check for that but honestly couldn’t find anything on her? And isn’t flystrike quite quick to knock them down? She’s been off food for now 3 days.

You stated that you saw a white/brown worm crawl up into her butt. That's a maggot.
Poultry roundworms and tapeworms are incapable of doing anything like that. Besides, when worms are excreted, they are either dead or dying. They cant crawl back in the butt.

dawg53 said:

You stated that you saw a white/brown worm crawl up into her butt. That's a maggot.
Poultry roundworms and tapeworms are incapable of doing anything like that. Besides, when worms are excreted, they are either dead or dying. They cant crawl back in the butt.

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Thank you for this, yes it certainly crawled back up there.. I am very new to chickens hence why researching to try and help her. She’s refused to come out of the box today, not eating or drinking and she looks miserable. I’m so scared for her, what if she’s in pain? I’ve had her for two years and usually very joyful. Not anymore. I can’t see any areas of infestation or sores, have bathed her again and she seemed to enjoy it but no maggots to be seen. Is it possible they have hatched well up inside her?

I'm sorry to say that there isnt anything that can be done in this situation. Keeping a chickens rear end free of feces is paramount in deterring flies. Trimming back feathers and fluff with scissors helps birds have a clear shot to the ground when pooping, preventing fly strike. Feathers and fluff shouldnt be trimmed back too much though, because urates in feces can scald their skin. Bathing and removing stuck feces is always best as well.
You can only provide her comfort care at this stage, or cull her to prevent further suffering.
I wish you the best.

dawg53 said:

I'm sorry to say that there isnt anything that can be done in this situation. Keeping a chickens rear end free of feces is paramount in deterring flies. Trimming back feathers and fluff with scissors helps birds have a clear shot to the ground when pooping, preventing fly strike. Feathers and fluff shouldnt be trimmed back too much though, because urates in feces can scald their skin. Bathing and removing stuck feces is always best as well.
You can only provide her comfort care at this stage, or cull her to prevent further suffering.
I wish you the best.

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Oh my goodness what an afternoon, it is horrendous. I gave her a third bath and felt like she was almost dead in my hands. I pulled feathers apart and went looking - and found those dreaded maggots. They were tiny, like I’m talking just hatched so thin but so horrid. I drowned so many of them, three warm buckets full and kept checking and investigating and found a tiny tiny sore that was breeding with the maggots. All very tiny. Once I thought they were all gone I dried her down and used the hairdryer - only to find more crawling out of her butt I don’t know what else to do. She has now been nearly 3 days with out food and she refused any water today.
I feel horrid she is being eaten alive, is there any chance they come back from this? I can’t let her suffer, there is an emergency vet I could take her to, they have a $350 call out after hours weekend call fee if there is any TB big they can help with but I’m feeling like it’s a lost cause.

dawg53 said:

I'm sorry to say that there isnt anything that can be done in this situation. Keeping a chickens rear end free of feces is paramount in deterring flies. Trimming back feathers and fluff with scissors helps birds have a clear shot to the ground when pooping, preventing fly strike. Feathers and fluff shouldnt be trimmed back too much though, because urates in feces can scald their skin. Bathing and removing stuck feces is always best as well.
You can only provide her comfort care at this stage, or cull her to prevent further suffering.
I wish you the best.

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How do you cull?

Shelly_in_oz said:

Oh my goodness what an afternoon, it is horrendous. I gave her a third bath and felt like she was almost dead in my hands. I pulled feathers apart and went looking - and found those dreaded maggots. They were tiny, like I’m talking just hatched so thin but so horrid. I drowned so many of them, three warm buckets full and kept checking and investigating and found a tiny tiny sore that was breeding with the maggots. All very tiny. Once I thought they were all gone I dried her down and used the hairdryer - only to find more crawling out of her butt I don’t know what else to do. She has now been nearly 3 days with out food and she refused any water today.
I feel horrid she is being eaten alive, is there any chance they come back from this? I can’t let her suffer, there is an emergency vet I could take her to, they have a $350 call out after hours weekend call fee if there is any TB big they can help with but I’m feeling like it’s a lost cause.

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Can you force a few grubs or some scrambled egg into her break? So she can get some nourishment? Also sweeten the water and add electrolytes so she can get energy.