Advice for newbie!

[Spacecadet]

Hello Chicken People!

I am entirely new to keeping chickens, and recently was offered an opportunity to adopt 3 chickens at a new home I’m renting. I have wanted to have chickens for years, so this opportunity felt like an obvious yes. Coop and run are built, I just get to take over. I’ve done lots of research, and was feeling very ready for the challenge.

I went to start moving and meet them yesterday, and were unpleasantly surprised at the state these poor gals are in. They have super crusty butts, and 2 of them seem to have some issues with their feet. One is much worse than the other 2. The owner told us she has frost bite, but it looks more like bumblefoot or something else to me. I’m hoping for some experts to chime in and give me an idea of how bad this really is. We are planning to have a conversation with the previous owners, but I don’t want come in too hot if this isn’t as bad as i think it is. But to me, this feels like negligence and I’m gonna push for them to seek veterinary care, because I’m not interested in paying for this. If this were a problem caused by my own hand, I would of course pay for the vet care.

Thanks for reading this!

 

[OrpingtonManiac]

I'm no expert, but in the first picture her toes look 'curved' to the side…
Do you know what they were being fed?
Also, in the last 2 pics, was that the coop they were in? I can see some cracked eggs in the nest-boxes, which i know might cause some egg-eating issues; just something to look out for!

@Wyorp Rock might know more though.

Good luck!

 

[Spacecadet]

I'm no expert, but in the first picture her toes look 'curved' to the side…
Do you know what they were being fed?
Also, in the last 2 pics, was that the coop they were in? I can see some cracked eggs in the nest-boxes, which i know might cause some egg-eating issues; just something to look out for!

@Wyorp Rock might know more though.

Good luck!

Yes, 2 of them have bent toes. The one pictured was the worst of the 2, and she moves super slow. She’s only 2 years old.

I also noticed the cracked egg, and was hoping it was a one off. Once I’m able to thoroughly clean the coop and get a better system of gathering eggs daily, I think I’ll be able to tell more. I think they wait many days to collect eggs, and clean very infrequently.

 

[DobieLover]

They aren't the picture of health but aren't horrible either.

Did you get their ages?
You've got egg eating going on so that may indicate a poor diet. What have they been feeding them?

I'd start by bringing them in, one at a time, and doing a foot/butt soak. The feet will soak while you are working to get the concrete poop off their fluff. It takes time. I just going in bare hands and work it out by pinching the clumps between my fingers then swishing lightly soapy water around their bums. Dump the water, put in fresh lightly soapy water and keep going until all the crust is off the fluff. Then start with another fresh soapy water change and use a very soft toothbrush to clean up the feet. Get her out, towel her as dry as you can and take a hair dryer to her hiney. Keep it moving and keep fluffing her feathers around to get her relatively dry. Then you can start inspecting feet and taking pictures to post and getting a good look at her bum and getting a picture of her vent. I would give their nails a trim too. They could use it.

I would start by getting them switched over to a good starter crumble or grower feed with 18-20% protein and start supplementing their diet with some meat like canned tuna or sardines or meat stripped off a rotisserie chicken. Yes. They'll happily eat it. They will need a supplemental source of calcium. Just put out a container of oyster shell for free choice feeding.

It also wouldn't hurt to make a mash out of the food to mix the meat in and put a bit of poultry vitamin / mineral supplements in to give them a boost.

They may also benefit from a deworming with Safeguard liquid goat wormer.

Bent toes are quite common. I have a little Sebright who had normal toes up until 2 years ago when one turned up bent. She could have broken it. It doesn't bother her or affect her gait.

Oh... and welcome to BYC!

 

[Spacecadet]

They aren't the picture of health but aren't horrible either.

Did you get their ages?
You've got egg eating going on so that may indicate a poor diet. What have they been feeding them?

I'd start by bringing them in, one at a time, and doing a foot/butt soak. The feet will soak while you are working to get the concrete poop off their fluff. It takes time. I just going in bare hands and work it out by pinching the clumps between my fingers then swishing lightly soapy water around their bums. Dump the water, put in fresh lightly soapy water and keep going until all the crust is off the fluff. Then start with another fresh soapy water change and use a very soft toothbrush to clean up the feet. Get her out, towel her as dry as you can and take a hair dryer to her hiney. Keep it moving and keep fluffing her feathers around to get her relatively dry. Then you can start inspecting feet and taking pictures to post and getting a good look at her bum and getting a picture of her vent. I would give their nails a trim too. They could use it

I would start by getting them switched over to a good starter crumble or grower feed with 18-20% protein and start supplementing their diet with some meat like canned tuna or sardines or meat stripped off a rotisserie chicken. Yes. They'll happily eat it.

It also wouldn't hurt to make a mash out of the food to mix the meat in and put a bit of poultry vitamin / mineral supplements in to give them a boost.

Bent toes are quite common. I have a little Sebright who had normal toes up until 2 years ago when one turned up bent. She could have broken it. It doesn't bother her or affect her gait.

Thank you for your response. This is what they are being fed, along with various kitchen scraps. I am happy to try to bathe them, but they certainly aren’t excited about being near humans haha. Feels like a big task for a newbie but it will be a learning experience

 

[Spacecadet]

They aren't the picture of health but aren't horrible either.

Did you get their ages?
You've got egg eating going on so that may indicate a poor diet. What have they been feeding them?

I'd start by bringing them in, one at a time, and doing a foot/butt soak. The feet will soak while you are working to get the concrete poop off their fluff. It takes time. I just going in bare hands and work it out by pinching the clumps between my fingers then swishing lightly soapy water around their bums. Dump the water, put in fresh lightly soapy water and keep going until all the crust is off the fluff. Then start with another fresh soapy water change and use a very soft toothbrush to clean up the feet. Get her out, towel her as dry as you can and take a hair dryer to her hiney. Keep it moving and keep fluffing her feathers around to get her relatively dry. Then you can start inspecting feet and taking pictures to post and getting a good look at her bum and getting a picture of her vent. I would give their nails a trim too. They could use it.

I would start by getting them switched over to a good starter crumble or grower feed with 18-20% protein and start supplementing their diet with some meat like canned tuna or sardines or meat stripped off a rotisserie chicken. Yes. They'll happily eat it. They will need a supplemental source of calcium. Just put out a container of oyster shell for free choice feeding.

It also wouldn't hurt to make a mash out of the food to mix the meat in and put a bit of poultry vitamin / mineral supplements in to give them a boost.

They may also benefit from a deworming with Safeguard liquid goat wormer.

Bent toes are quite common. I have a little Sebright who had normal toes up until 2 years ago when one turned up bent. She could have broken it. It doesn't bother her or affect her gait.

Oh and they are all 2 years old.

 

[DobieLover]

Thank you for your response. This is what they are being fed, along with various kitchen scraps. I am happy to try to bathe them, but they certainly aren’t excited about being near humans haha. Feels like a big task for a newbie but it will be a learning experience View attachment 4059968

That is not a bad feed. Do you know what the %protein is?
The egg eating may be due to a lack of protein. That is another issue that will eventually need to be addressed.

 

[Spacecadet]

That is not a bad feed. Do you know what the %protein is?
The egg eating may be due to a lack of protein. That is another issue that will eventually need to be addressed.

It is 16% protein

 

[DobieLover]

It is 16% protein

I would bump up as I suggested above.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

They have super crusty butts, and 2 of them seem to have some issues with their feet. One is much worse than the other 2. The owner told us she has frost bite, but it looks more like bumblefoot or something else to me.

Yes, 2 of them have bent toes. The one pictured was the worst of the 2, and she moves super slow. She’s only 2 years old.

I also noticed the cracked egg, and was hoping it was a one off. Once I’m able to thoroughly clean the coop and get a better system of gathering eggs daily, I think I’ll be able to tell more. I think they wait many days to collect eggs, and clean very infrequently.

They aren't the picture of health but aren't horrible either.

Did you get their ages?
You've got egg eating going on so that may indicate a poor diet. What have they been feeding them?

I'd start by bringing them in, one at a time, and doing a foot/butt soak. The feet will soak while you are working to get the concrete poop off their fluff. It takes time. I just going in bare hands and work it out by pinching the clumps between my fingers then swishing lightly soapy water around their bums. Dump the water, put in fresh lightly soapy water and keep going until all the crust is off the fluff. Then start with another fresh soapy water change and use a very soft toothbrush to clean up the feet. Get her out, towel her as dry as you can and take a hair dryer to her hiney. Keep it moving and keep fluffing her feathers around to get her relatively dry. Then you can start inspecting feet and taking pictures to post and getting a good look at her bum and getting a picture of her vent. I would give their nails a trim too. They could use it.

I would start by getting them switched over to a good starter crumble or grower feed with 18-20% protein and start supplementing their diet with some meat like canned tuna or sardines or meat stripped off a rotisserie chicken. Yes. They'll happily eat it. They will need a supplemental source of calcium. Just put out a container of oyster shell for free choice feeding.

It also wouldn't hurt to make a mash out of the food to mix the meat in and put a bit of poultry vitamin / mineral supplements in to give them a boost.

They may also benefit from a deworming with Safeguard liquid goat wormer.

Bent toes are quite common. I have a little Sebright who had normal toes up until 2 years ago when one turned up bent. She could have broken it. It doesn't bother her or affect her gait.

Oh... and welcome to BYC!

I agree with all the above.

The toes are crooked, likely were crooked at hatch.

The scales of the feet are a bit rough, hard to know if it's the beginning of Scaly Leg Mites or just age/dryness, old hen's legs.
After cleaning up the bums and feet/legs, rub a little Vaseline or A+D ointment into the legs/feet, working your oil/vaseline up under the scales. Ointment will smother mites, if there are not, no harm no *fowl*.

Poopy bums can be from number of things. Deworming is a good idea. While you are cleaning up the girls, check them for lice/mites.

Broken egg shells don't look freshly broken. Could be from the hens picking at them, rat/vermin or something else depending on how predator proof the coop and run are.

I don't think there's any need to go in hot at or about anything. Just give them a good clean up. Clean out the coop, give it a good spray with some Permethrin poultry spray, add some fresh bedding and provide the hens with clean fresh water and fresh food. See how it goes.