Blocked follicles

[CCUK]

A friend sent me a picture of her friends chicken. It has swollen legs and what looks like blocked follicles. I'm not sure exactly what it is. I haven't seen the chicken, only the photo. What do you think? It may also have scaly mites.

 

[Eggcessive]

It does look like scaly leg mites, but there could be something else going on as well. I am thinking possibly MS (mycoplasma synoviae) or even cutaneous Mareks disease, but no way to know without testing or a necropsy later. I would start some treatment for leg mites by doing soaks of Epsom salts, or Dawn and water) application of oil (castor, vegetable, coconut, mineral oil, etc) and changing out bedding to treat coop.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

A friend sent me a picture of her friends chicken. It has swollen legs and what looks like blocked follicles. I'm not sure exactly what it is. I haven't seen the chicken, only the photo. What do you think? It may also have scaly mites.
View attachment 1664325

Scaly Leg Mites. That is what I would work on first, see if treatment helps reduce the swelling. Soak in warm epsom salts everyday, dry well, then apply vaseline or some type of oil (coconut, castor oil, etc.).

 

[Rosdez31]

Scaly Leg Mites. That is what I would work on first, see if treatment helps reduce the swelling. Soak in warm epsom salts everyday, dry well, then apply vaseline or some type of oil (coconut, castor oil, etc.).

I know very little about chickens diseases, but the first thing I thought was put some coconut oil on those pour feet.

 

[MissChick@dee]

You could use a Soft toothbrush (go side to side) when you soak to clear softened debris. Before applying coatings

 

[Shadrach]

A friend sent me a picture of her friends chicken. It has swollen legs and what looks like blocked follicles. I'm not sure exactly what it is. I haven't seen the chicken, only the photo. What do you think? It may also have scaly mites.
View attachment 1664325

I take it your mate is in the UK.
You can get surgical spirit there.
One of the problems with feathered legs and the oil and Vaseline approach is the feathers get in the way and areas around the feathers don't get coated. There's bound to be a mite or two hiding in there.
If you make a bath big enough for a foot and deep enough to sink the entire leg in and fill it with surgical spirit and dunk the chickens leg in it for about 30 seconds this is the best way to kill mites. After the dunk, then some coconut oil smeared on the legs will help keep the legs conditioned.

 

[CCUK]

Thanks for the replies. I'll recommend that they give the legs a soak in Epsom salt or hibiscrub. Then treat for scaly leg mites. I have used surgical spirit before and parrafin oil. When they soak the legs hopefully it will loosen any debris or scabby skin. Would a course of metacam be beneficial to try and reduce swelling and inflammation?