Bad Chicken Mom - Foot Neglect?

[micstrachan]

Hi. Those of you who know me know I’m usually pretty attentive to my chickens. However, there is one area or I’m a bit neglectful, and that is the feet. My Wyandottes both have scaly leg mites pretty significantly. I don’t know if it’s a factor here, but the other day I noticed Roxy had blood all over her head feathers. I carefully wiped them off with wet cotton balls and parted the feathers down and could not find any kind of a wound on her head. It wasn’t until the next day or two that I noticed the tip of her toe is missing or else just the nail got torn off.
Her feet have somewhat freshly applied bag balm mixed with nustock. And she’s been running around the yard, so if she’s quite dirty on her feet. She’s definitely favoring that foot. Does it look like the scaly leg mites were a factor in the tip of the toe? I’m feeling pretty guilty right now.

 

[micstrachan]

Here’s the other Wyandotte’s foot (she’s in the dust bath).

 

[dawg53]

It takes time for scaly leg mites to eat through tissue. In this instance, I suspect it mightve been an injury of some sort and she lost her toenail. She possibly couldve got it caught on something, panicked, and tore off her toenail.

Continue with the Nu-Stock and dont forget to put a light coat of Nu-Stock on roosts.

 

[micstrachan]

@dawg53 thanks for replying. I have permethrin (pyrethrum? I always forget which is which...) powder, but have never had to use it. What would you think of adding some to the foot goo concoction I use of half bag balm and half NuStock? When the weather is warm, it’s easy to brush on and the birds tolerate it if I’m quick vs a whole ordeal of a struggle and wrapping in a towel.

 

[dawg53]

It's up to you what you want to add but Nu-Stock is all that's needed.

 

[micstrachan]

Thanks!