Chicken feet

[MCArt20]

My bared rock has a black spot on her toe, and on each leg shaft a flat hard raised spot- is this bumble foot?? Also I have been treating the black spot with cleaning and neosporin for about a month- I noticed it just after our ice storms in January. Any thoughts to the spot or? Thanks!!!

[/IMG][/IMG]

 

[Eggcessive]

Those feet look pretty healthy and normal to me. If you look closely in the first picture of the black spot, there are some faint smaller spots which are probably just her normal leg coloring. Sometimes a bruise can look like that. I have several with spotted legs and feet. Barred rock females normally have some dark stripes down the front of the legs, but with hatchery chickens, they may not always have perfect coloring. In the lower picture, there is a nub which all chickens have. She also has some red coloring undertone, which is normal in a fertile chicken.

 

[MagicChicken]

My bared rock has a black spot on her toe, and on each leg shaft a flat hard raised spot- is this bumble foot?? Also I have been treating the black spot with cleaning and neosporin for about a month- I noticed it just after our ice storms in January. Any thoughts to the spot or? Thanks!!!

[/URL]

Not sure about the black spot. It could just be pigment. Like a freckle. If the feet are otherwise healthy I wouldn't worry about it. But if you are sure it is not just a black-pigmented area, monitor it.

The hard bump on the leg is a spur that is starting to grow. The bird is probably a cockerel (rooster less than one year old). Edited to add that some hens do have spur bumps like this, so if this is an older bird it might still be a hen. If it is a young bird you probably have a rooster.

 

[Eggcessive]

I have quite a few hens with the bump where spurs appear on roosters, so that can be normal in many breeds. It's possible that this is a cockerel, especially with the different coloring of the leg from barred rock females normally have, and the leg does appear a bit stout for a pullet. Pictures from the side and front of the chicken may help clear that up. Here is a thread about spur buds: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/361618/do-female-hens-have-spur-buds-on-their-legs

 

[authHeirlooms]

We have lots of hens with the bumps where a rooster would have spurs, even as chicks (which scared us a bit on our first hatch!

) Not sure what the black spot is but it doesn't look too troublesome. With bumble foot there is usually a big bump, at least in my experience. If she's not having trouble walking I wouldn't worry too much, but good on you for keeping such a close eye on your flock.

 

[MCArt20]

Thanks, I'm glad it's not serious! But definitely not a cockerel, I got her from a friend when she was about @ 15 months, and lays quite regularly. I just noticed my RIR has them as well......(the flat bumps). I was concerned as we have a lot of standing water due to the heavy rains, and we are working on drainage, but just an odd year. The hens could care less, they look bedraggled but seem to like the fact that earthworms are plentiful due to the rains! And, although not necessary now, do like their feet washed.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is a good link to read if you want to learn what bumblefoot looks like: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2011/07/bumblefoot-causes-treatment-warning.html

 

[danegal2]

Her feet look very normal to me! Bumble foot is very obvious since the webbing gets swollen as the infection progresses. They also get a hard black scab on the bottom on their foot that needs to be removed.