Bleeding/wounds in the crevice where rear toe meets leg

[mmikke]

Hey everyone, sorry if this has been asked. I searched every possible sentence variation I could and didn't see a result.

So here's the deal. Imagine a chickens foot. The rear toe forms an obtuse angle where it meets the leg.

One of our hens recently had minor wounds/bleeding in the crevice where the rear toe meets the leg. We initially thought it was because she had accidentally stepped on a rat trap I foolishly forgot to remove from their yard. It was my fault, I felt bad, but she's fine.




Now our rooster has the same wounds/mild bleeding presenting itself and I haven't had any rat traps in their area for weeks now.



To hopefully describe it better, the area that is wounded and mildly bleeding is the "elbow" where his rear toe meets his leg. Any ideas?

Both instances we've had of this same injury are on feral/junglefowl birds we've rescued and integrated into our flock.



Unfortunately as of now the young rooster won't voluntarily let me pick him up but if it is in fact necessary I have the means to do so, and the proper protective gear.


Anyone dealt with weird rear toe joint wounds before?

 

[mmikke]

The top!!!! Of the toe. Can't believe I didn't specify.

 

[CombNWattles]

Hmmm…
Do they have feathered legs?
Could they be roosting on something sharp?
Rats & (unlikely) vampire bats sometimes bite chicken’s feet while they roost. Could these be a possibility where you are?
Scaly leg mites and bumble also affect the feet, but they don’t usually bleed.
Pictures would help if possible.
In the meantime, could you download this photo and put a circle around the area?

 

[CombNWattles]

Sorry, gotta check out for the night. good luck and I will look back in tomorrow morning!

 

[aart]

A pic would help immensely here.

 

[mmikke]

Hmmm…
Do they have feathered legs?
Could they be roosting on something sharp?
Rats & (unlikely) vampire bats sometimes bite chicken’s feet while they roost. Could these be a possibility where you are?
Scaly leg mites and bumble also affect the feet, but they don’t usually bleed.
Pictures would help if possible.
In the meantime, could you download this photo and put a circle around the area?
View attachment 3970280

Hey, sorry, just got some time at work to check back on this thread.
It could absolutely be rats, as we've had rats attack chickens in the coop before, but after about a week of trapping two or more per day the signs of rodent activity decreased significantly. I'm wondering if they're back now, because the areas being affected on the two current wounded chickens would make sense for a rat to bite while the chickens feet were wrapped around the roosting pole thing.


I'm on mobile but did my best with the photo you asked me to edit. The green dots would represent the bloodied/wounded area.
I will take pics of my actual birds this evening after work.

 

[mmikke]

A pic would help immensely here.

I will take some this evening

 

[CombNWattles]

Hmm, I agree that the injury location points to rats. Do you have any kind of antibiotic ointment/spray you could apply? Rat bites have got to be unsanitary. Just remember if you use neosporin to make sure it doesn’t have painkillers in it.

Perhaps bandaging their feet with gauze and vet wrap, then applying some gross-tasting substance to the wrap might deter further biting til the rats are gone.

 

[mmikke]

Hmm, I agree that the injury location points to rats. Do you have any kind of antibiotic ointment/spray you could apply? Rat bites have got to be unsanitary. Just remember if you use neosporin to make sure it doesn’t have painkillers in it.

Perhaps bandaging their feet with gauze and vet wrap, then applying some gross-tasting substance to the wrap might deter further biting til the rats are gone.

As of now all I have at home is triple antibiotic ointment including pain relief. Basic generic grocery store stuff.

Spray sounds appealing and I definitely think that would be easier to apply for these two specific birds.


Caught a rat in one of two traps I placed near their coop last night. Gonna keep setting them nightly

 

[mmikke]

Hmm, I agree that the injury location points to rats. Do you have any kind of antibiotic ointment/spray you could apply? Rat bites have got to be unsanitary. Just remember if you use neosporin to make sure it doesn’t have painkillers in it.

Perhaps bandaging their feet with gauze and vet wrap, then applying some gross-tasting substance to the wrap might deter further biting til the rats are gone.

I found the @

Hmm, I agree that the injury location points to rats. Do you have any kind of antibiotic ointment/spray you could apply? Rat bites have got to be unsanitary. Just remember if you use neosporin to make sure it doesn’t have painkillers in it.

Perhaps bandaging their feet with gauze and vet wrap, then applying some gross-tasting substance to the wrap might deter further biting til the rats are gone.

I discovered the cause!!!!!

Our dumb sweet gentleman rooster and the junglefowl hen we rescued keep trying to fight other wild chickens through the chicken wire fence!

Just witnessed the rooster basically "hold hands" with an extremely juvenile wild rooster outside of the fence and the commotion and friction made the wire cut into the rear of his toe.


Now I have my plan of action and need to trap and relocate these problem ferals/wilds.


We closed both coop doors for tonight so we can grab him when he's extra sleepy and put some stiptic powder and (pain relief free) ointment on his toes.



My lady is super curious. Why is the pain relief aspect of certain ointments and sprays a no-go for chickens?? Thanks in advance