- Jul 13, 2014
- 39
- 0
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Let me start by saying I feel absolutely sick over this and I hope someone can help me!
First issue is with my duck ( I posted for help in the ducks section but haven't gotten any help, hopefully someone here can help me!)
I have 2 Muscovy drakes, the grey drake has been picking on my black drake and the black one has been spending a lot of time in the coop. I noticed some blood on the roost (we have chickens too, I thought it was a chicken) and when I went out at night I discovered that's where this black Muscovy has been roosting. I also noticed him limping. I guessed maybe it was bumble foot and then my husband went out with me at night and picked him up and in the dark coop by flashlight I saw what looked like a black scab so I was convinced it was bumble foot. I researched how to do "surgery" and got myself all prepared to do this, and a few nights later cut into my poor ducks foot and then I realized I didn't think it really was bumble foot. So I am absolutely sick thinking that I have this duck who has a foot injury and then I CUT INTO IT and made it worse. I feel like an awful person. I cleaned it up, put neosporin on it and then wrapped it up. My husband works long hours, I have a baby and couldn't get anyone to help me get this huge clawed bird to treat again for a few days, and then last night my husband helped me again and we took the wrap off and its pretty scabbed over, it looked like the wrap irritated it a little too, I soaked his foot in warm water and epsom salts for a few minutes and put neosporin on it and left the wrap off because I think it was probably making it worse. Today from what I can see he's been in the coop all day, he is up on the roost, I don't know if he's been off the roost, hoping he is eating and drinking but I don't know, I put a small bowl of water on the roost next to him so hopefully he'll at least drink if he doesn't feel like walking around. Oh, he is also missing the toenails on both of his outer toes on both feet?
Next, 2 days ago when I went to check on this Muscovy and opened the coop in the morning, one of my bantam hens hopped out on one foot. I noticed a big scab on one of her toes. She is super flighty so I Couldn't catch her until she roosted at night. Last night I picked her up and checked her out. It has a scab with what looks like a big puss filled bump next to it. It almost looked to me like the toe was going to fall off (but it's not). I put some neosporin on it too because I didn't want to mess with it much not knowing what to do. Then I noticed she was missing a toenail on the same foot, and on the other foot a toenail looked like it was dying and about to fall off. I thought her legs looked scaly too. Went in to do some research and I believe she has scaly leg mites. A quick scan of my chickens makes me think they all have it. I don't know if this scab/puss bump are related to the leg mites? Again, I feel sick over this, not realizing it sooner. I feel like I noticed that their legs looked more "white" (from the scales) but didn't know what it was until this injury presented itself and I did more research. I see for the leg mites they need to be suffocated in oil or vaseline and the coop thoroughly cleaned. Any ideas on the scab/bump and how to treat that? Am I correct in thinking these are leg mites?
Thank you for any advice you can give. I feel like I've tried so hard to make sure they're well cared for and I'm failing. I also need advice on worming them and preventing any other parasites because I think I'm failing there too. I've sprinkled diatomaceous earth in the coop when we put fresh bedding in but I'm sure that's not enough. HELP me take good care of my birds please!!!
duck foot before I cut into it, and then after
And my poor bantam hens feet.
First issue is with my duck ( I posted for help in the ducks section but haven't gotten any help, hopefully someone here can help me!)
I have 2 Muscovy drakes, the grey drake has been picking on my black drake and the black one has been spending a lot of time in the coop. I noticed some blood on the roost (we have chickens too, I thought it was a chicken) and when I went out at night I discovered that's where this black Muscovy has been roosting. I also noticed him limping. I guessed maybe it was bumble foot and then my husband went out with me at night and picked him up and in the dark coop by flashlight I saw what looked like a black scab so I was convinced it was bumble foot. I researched how to do "surgery" and got myself all prepared to do this, and a few nights later cut into my poor ducks foot and then I realized I didn't think it really was bumble foot. So I am absolutely sick thinking that I have this duck who has a foot injury and then I CUT INTO IT and made it worse. I feel like an awful person. I cleaned it up, put neosporin on it and then wrapped it up. My husband works long hours, I have a baby and couldn't get anyone to help me get this huge clawed bird to treat again for a few days, and then last night my husband helped me again and we took the wrap off and its pretty scabbed over, it looked like the wrap irritated it a little too, I soaked his foot in warm water and epsom salts for a few minutes and put neosporin on it and left the wrap off because I think it was probably making it worse. Today from what I can see he's been in the coop all day, he is up on the roost, I don't know if he's been off the roost, hoping he is eating and drinking but I don't know, I put a small bowl of water on the roost next to him so hopefully he'll at least drink if he doesn't feel like walking around. Oh, he is also missing the toenails on both of his outer toes on both feet?
Next, 2 days ago when I went to check on this Muscovy and opened the coop in the morning, one of my bantam hens hopped out on one foot. I noticed a big scab on one of her toes. She is super flighty so I Couldn't catch her until she roosted at night. Last night I picked her up and checked her out. It has a scab with what looks like a big puss filled bump next to it. It almost looked to me like the toe was going to fall off (but it's not). I put some neosporin on it too because I didn't want to mess with it much not knowing what to do. Then I noticed she was missing a toenail on the same foot, and on the other foot a toenail looked like it was dying and about to fall off. I thought her legs looked scaly too. Went in to do some research and I believe she has scaly leg mites. A quick scan of my chickens makes me think they all have it. I don't know if this scab/puss bump are related to the leg mites? Again, I feel sick over this, not realizing it sooner. I feel like I noticed that their legs looked more "white" (from the scales) but didn't know what it was until this injury presented itself and I did more research. I see for the leg mites they need to be suffocated in oil or vaseline and the coop thoroughly cleaned. Any ideas on the scab/bump and how to treat that? Am I correct in thinking these are leg mites?
Thank you for any advice you can give. I feel like I've tried so hard to make sure they're well cared for and I'm failing. I also need advice on worming them and preventing any other parasites because I think I'm failing there too. I've sprinkled diatomaceous earth in the coop when we put fresh bedding in but I'm sure that's not enough. HELP me take good care of my birds please!!!
duck foot before I cut into it, and then after
And my poor bantam hens feet.
