3 week old welsummer chicks with foot/leg problems

[Hils Half Acre]

Help!

I feel terrible not noticing this before but 3 of my welsummer chicks are having problems. We have them in a brooder with about 20 other younger chicks... could the younger chicks be hurting them? I feel like their brooder is clean but maybe it needs to be more clean?

The one pictured with the black scabs on its feet isn't doing well which is how it caught my attention, she's moving very slowly.

The one with the reddish swollen ankle seems healthy but I'm obviously concerned.

This is my first batch of chicks so please any advice will help!

 

[BonRae67]

Are they getting their feet caught on something, or falling through something.

 

[Hils Half Acre]

I don't think so... I have them in a large cardboard box with pine shavings, they just have the standard plastic waters and metal trough feeder in there... I was concerned that the metal feeder could be hurting them so I literally just got a plastic one to replace it. I have my doubts though that that could cause that much damage but I could be wrong.

 

[azygous]

Is your brooder one with an open wire mesh floor?

That's the only thing I can think of that would cause those types of injuries to tiny chick feet. They appear to be infected. Do you have access to antibiotics? I fear you are going to lose those two unless you get them started on antibiotics ASAP.

 

[Hils Half Acre]

Nope, its just a box with pine shavings. My best guess is that the little ones are hurting them. When I go say hi them they usually all freak out and huddle together.

 

[azygous]

I'm sorry. You posted the answer just as I was posting my question. So that rules out an obvious cause of foot injuries. it's possible the metal feeder injured their feet, but unlikely.

Where did you get these chicks? Were shipped directly to you from the hatchery? Or did they come from a feed store? If it was a feed store, it's quite possible they were injured before you got them. If they came in the mail, that rules previous injuries.

Could a dog or cat in your household be getting into the brooder?

 

[Hils Half Acre]

No problem! I appreciate the help!

We hatched them ourselves and have always been very gentle with them.

None of our other pets have access them.

So you're sure its injury and not some kind of disease or anything right? It would be horrible if it was and spread through them all.

I just isolated the 3 injured chicks and put some antibiotics in their water. Is there anything else I can do to help them like a baking-soda foot bath or something?

 

[BonRae67]

You can use triple antibiotic ointment on the sores to help them heal. I have taken the athletic tape and wrapped the sores before so that nobody can get to them while they are healing. Good luck with them and keep us posted.

 

[Hils Half Acre]

Ok thanks, I'll let them rest a bit and then do that. The poor things didn't like the move.

I will keep you posted.

 

[rides2far]

How are your babies? I'm a newbie so this might be a dumb question. Can babies this young get bumble foot?