Foot exams - a necessity!

[chicksurreal]

Most of my flock adore being handled, but there are a few who would rather not. I've found a universally easy way to accommodate all personalities when I need to look at their feet.

I find a central spot, get down on my knees (I have one of those foam gardening knee pads 'cause it kills my knees to kneel on the ground, even sand), and I wait for them to come to me. Most of them see the foam pad, and are conditioned to crowd in for group hugs. Then I take them one at a time, walk her forward so her head is in my crotch, which they all find curiously comforting for some reason, and it's easy to pick up one foot at a time and do what I need to do to it. If they decide to get squirrelly, they are easy to keep under control in this position. I have a Chinese chop stick that I find handy to dig out stones and mud and poop.

For the stand-offish ones, I first herd them into a small enclosure where they can't run away from me. Then I crawl forward toward them and grab them. From there, I use the previously described routine to examine their feet. One or two are so adverse to being handled, a meal worm is a sure-fire way to get their cooperation. They cannot resist a wiggly worm and will come to me every single time as if I was their very best friend.

Our Hamburgs will hop up onto my lap or shoulder for a treat, but they don't like to be held or picked up without it being their idea! Lol! Once I have them close I can inspect, but there are a few who are very wary and eye me with suspicion if I try to get too close. We knew that this breed was flighty when we ordered them as chicks, and they weren't kidding! I think ours are as friendly as the breed gets considering that we spend so much time with them, but we still have to wait until they are in the run in the evening to catch some of them. I love them, but they can be so hard to catch without drama sometimes!

We can't wait to get some other breeds of chicks this year to play with!

 

[chicksurreal]

I know what you mean, every time I do my foot inspection you would have thought I was going to "water board" them, they all pile up in the corner of their roosting board (I do my inspections when they go to roost). I keep on hoping that they will eventually get used to it, but it seems like every time is the first time I have done it and they don't know what is going on,

CHICKENS !!!!!!

Yes, I do think we have a couple of drama queens in our flock too, I suppose it just wouldn't be the same without them!

 

[azygous]

I decided early on that a dirty coop and run and poopy butts were things I wouldn't just live with. I scoop the sand run several times a day, and it makes it so enjoyable to be in there that friends stop by just to observe the chickens and to chat. Have any of you ever had visitors sit around and chat in your run or coop?

As for washing the chickens, the only time I ever had to give one a whole bath was when some unkind chicken pooped on her back from above. The rest get backed up to a wash basin filled with warm water and children's bubble bath. It's easy to do targeted butt "tune-ups" that way. To wash their feet, they remain backed up to the tub and one foot at a time gets scrubbed.

They get meal worms afterwards for being cooperative.

 

[Alicatt]

Wow, I love your run. And I would totally hang out in there!!

 

[aldarita]

I decided early on that a dirty coop and run and poopy butts were things I wouldn't just live with. I scoop the sand run several times a day, and it makes it so enjoyable to be in there that friends stop by just to observe the chickens and to chat. Have any of you ever had visitors sit around and chat in your run or coop?

As for washing the chickens, the only time I ever had to give one a whole bath was when some unkind chicken pooped on her back from above. The rest get backed up to a wash basin filled with warm water and children's bubble bath. It's easy to do targeted butt "tune-ups" that way. To wash their feet, they remain backed up to the tub and one foot at a time gets scrubbed.

They get meal worms afterwards for being cooperative.

Ever since I put sand in my run and coops, life has been a lot easier in the chicken yard, I also scoop the area several times a day, it only takes few minutes if you do it often enough and it is so much enjoyable to walk around without having to watch where you are stepping.

 

[azygous]

This is a closeup of my run. It was completed just last year. I incorporated five, full-size glass, double-glazed doors for the sides for maximum light. They're interspersed with greenhouse panels that come down in summer for maximum ventilation and cooling. Donated recycled materials, and including labor, it cost $4000 for the covered, enclosed 320 sq ft run.

People say they want to come back as my chickens after they die.

 

[Alicatt]

it is beautiful. You must have been so excited for the upgrade. My run is always a work in progress, right now a bit of an eyesore, but chickens are happy! How do you get your sand? Don't see bags from home depot as being cost effective.

 

[azygous]

My sand is construction sand from the local cement and gravel yard. I haul it home myself by the half yard. I think last time it was around $14.

This run is the culmination of about three or four add-ons. I began with a 4'x4' coop and attached a 4'x8' run to it. But up until this final enlargement, my run was only 4 feet high and I had to bend over when I went inside. It was getting to be very hard on the back. So I decided it was time to spend some money and have a run I could enjoy myself in. It makes all the difference, let me tell you!

By the way, when I built it, I left the original run intact with the chickens in it, and built the new run around it. It minimized the stress the chickens were subjected to as well as preserving their safety. When the new run was completed, I dismantled the old run, and built new partitions inside. The run is partitioned off into three sections that I can close off or leave open. It helps when I integrate new pullets, and when I have to manage incorrigible behavior.

Here's the photo of the new run construction with the old run inside.

 

[Alicatt]

I thought I saw the sections in another pic, very cool. Haven't had to integrate new birds yet as I have only had mine nine months, and boyfriend is drawing line as to how much of the backyard I am allowed. Already planning New coops behind his back. My run is a ten by twenty dog kennel. This winter I tarped the walls and made a roof from a tarp. It works, if not very pretty. I like the idea of greenhouse panels, was toying with idea of framing my kennel so I could attach "walls" when we have rough winters like this one. The tarps don't let in enough light and my girls Love sunshine!

 

[Henrietta2]

And I always thought I was a pretty great chicken mama!

Yesterday, after too many below freezing days have prevented much needed butt washing, I got the tubs out and began going down the roster. Much crust and clots of poop had built up, and I'm sure each hen weighed a little less after her "tune-up". I always examine and wash, if needed, the feathered feet. These chickens also seem to be prone to getting pebbles and poop caught in dimples in their foot pads. But this was the first time I'd decided to check the clean-legged ones.

When I looked at the foot pad of my four-year old SLW Alice, I was horrified to find a one centimeter sized pebble lodged in a dimple I never knew she had. When I popped it out, it left a cavernous hole even deeper than what appeared on the surface. I have no doubt she would have eventually gone lame. It looked like the pebble had been in there a long time already. She had given no indication that she had anything wrong with her feet, either. Usually, they'll hold the foot up or peck at it. The run is sand, so that may account for this.

I'll be doing regular foot exams on the entire fleet from now on. Just wanted to pass this on in case it hasn't occurred to some of you to do regular foot inspections.

This was an awesome post. I've had chickens for a while but never checked their feet, as they have never limped. Thank you for giving me a clue! I looked at their feet today while giving treats, and their toenails(claws?) are very long. They stay in a coop at night but have the whole lawn yard during the day. I thought if they had natural surroundings you didn't have to trim them, but really, they're almost an inch long and they aren't curved like a cat or dog. How long should they be? I have a buff Orp, a barred rock and a mutt who lays green eggs.