Bantam rooster suddenly became lame strange swelling on feet

[Bonnie Gentry]

I have a bantam rooster that is about 1 year old now, a beautiful bird he looks healthy and eats well. He roams free with to game hens I have during the day and sleeps in our horse barn loft at night up in the rafters. About 4 days ago I noticed him limping. He stops and pulls his right leg up into his feathers and stands on one leg. then when he goes to walk he has trouble putting his weight on the leg. I managed to get close to him today when he was standing on one of the horse stall doors and saw that his feet ( both of them) have a bubbled up look and also look crusty and swollen. what could this be?? the hens he hangs out with are fine their legs are sleek. I read somewhere that mites could cause the scales to get rough, could this be it? I have had chickens for years and never have I seen anything like this. I have never had any health issues before this, any help or ideas out there??

 

[easttxchick]

I would guess leg mites.
This is on the tops of his feet, right, not the bottom?
Is there any way you can post a picture-that would help a lot.

 

[Bonnie Gentry]

Quote:
I will take a picture tonight while he is perched and try and figure out how to get it on here. I think the bottom of his feet look a little swollen too, but will have to take another look... pic coming soon I hope, thanks

 

[easttxchick]

For tonight, if you have any, put some Vicks or Vaseline on his legs and feet(he may slip off of the perch, though).

If it is leg mites, it should help, if not, it won't hurt him.

 

[Bonnie Gentry]

Quote:
ok, here is the image tag hope it shows up?? Im not sure how to do the photos yet... I get it uploaded and then can't find the pictures they say I have, so I copied the tag and pasted it here... I guess if you don't see it I messed up lol anyway here goes.. the picture is small but if you click it I thinkit will enlarge.

 

[Bonnie Gentry]

Quote:
ok, here is the image tag hope it shows up?? Im not sure how to do the photos yet... I get it uploaded and then can't find the pictures they say I have, so I copied the tag and pasted it here... I guess if you don't see it I messed up lol anyway here goes.. the picture is small but if you click it I thinkit will enlarge.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/74869_100_1375.jpg

this is his affected foot, but I couldn't get a picture of the top which looks worse... hope the picture helps shed some light

 

[easttxchick]

It does look like mites to me. Does it look like this?

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Health/Dis/scaly.html

There are a lot of things you can use on leg mites. I think Vet Rx is supposed to work, as well.

 

[chicknmania]

It's definitely leg mites and it's important to treat aggressively. Vaseline is the best thing, but put it on
twice a day, anyway, and it takes several days, maybe even a couple of weeks, to cure. While you're treating
him, put him on vitamins, too, Aviacharge or something similar, you can use baby vitamins but I like Aviacharge.
If you don't treat it, he can become anemic, and it can cause him to get broken bones. We have a Silkie roo
whose toe broke b/c he had leg mites so bad. He recovered ok, but we learned a nasty lesson about leg mites, from
him. It also can be contagious, but it seems some are more susceptible to it than others.

 

[easttxchick]

Quote:
Wow, that's awful. Thanks for sharing that information. I haven't had it in my birds-thank God, but I didn't realize it could get to that point.
Glad he recovered!

 

[chicknmania]

Yeah, fyi we tried VetRX on him but that stuff stinks and I think it burns, too, on their legs.
If you use Vaseline, use a lot...makes a mess, but it works.