Chicken Foot issue

[chrissilini]

New to the site so I’m not 100% sure this is the right place to post this. I have an approximately 2 year old NH Red hen that has something going on with her feet. (The chickens are housed at my boyfriends’ business, so he is the primary chicken keeper. I don’t see them everyday because of logistics/work.) He told me
one of the hens feet were ‘swollen’ so I went to take a look. I’ve looked online and can’t tell what it is. Gout? Bumblefoot? She’s been walking fine and eating and drinking normally. I’ve attached some pics. Didn’t see any black spots. No sign of trauma. Did notice the pinkish areas. Didn’t look really scaly-mites. It’s both feet. Any ideas?

 

[Eggcessive]

To me it appears to be articular gout from the pictures. However, are the upper leg joints swollen? In the third picture the ankle appears very swollen, which can be a sign of mycoplasma synovitis (MS.) MS is a bacterial joint infection that causes joint swelling with little good treatment. It is contagious and others in the flock may be carriers.

Gout has numerous possible causes, and it has that lumpy fat toe appearance. There is not a lot of treatment for that either, but some report that using sour cherry concentrate, a treatment for humans with gout, has had some good results. Here is some reading about gout and MS:
https://thepoultrysite.com/articles/gout-management-in-poultry

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/mycoplasmosis/mycoplasma-synoviae-infection-in-poultry

 

[aart]

Is she the only bird who is showing this?
What all and how exactly are you feeding?
Was this a sudden onset or has it been going on awhile?

Oh, and.... Welcome to BYC! @chrissilini
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!

 

[dawg53]

I agree with Eggcessive, definitely gout.

 

[chrissilini]

Just updated my info, I'm in New Hampshire. She, who I believe is my Nugget, yeah, we got our first chicks a couple of years ago I gave a few names, is the only one showing this. Honestly, and I hate to admit it, I'm not sure how long it's been going on. Marc noticed it a few days ago but it appears to have been going on for longer because of the extent. She walks fine, will hop up to roost, and even runs around some. Upper joints don't appear swollen. When she was a chick, as she got older, she did seem to have some leg issues. Didn't want to straighten at the ankle but she seemed to grow out of it. Not sure if it's all related.

Our flock is down to only 6 right now. We've had some predator issues which were rectified today. They are fed Blue Seal egg layer pellets, un-medicated. Occasional cracked corn and oyster shell as well as lettuce and other fruit and vegetables. They are allowed to free range when the weather is good.

If it was MS, should I be worried about the other girls? I'm assuming that just because they may be a carrier, doesn't mean they will develop the disease? I definitely have some reading to do!

 

[Eggcessive]

I feel pretty sure that you are dealing with gout. Someday if you lose her, you could get a necropsy and testing just to confirm gout. I would think about trying the cherry juice extract, or do some reading about it.

 

[chrissilini]

Yeah, from what I've been reading, I think so too. I will definitely try the cherry juice. Can't hurt.

 

[chrissilini]

So, my boyfriend is a mechanic and works on a local vets’ vehicles. One of their techs was at the shop today and he showed her the chicken with the bad feet. She insists it’s bumblefoot. Said you don’t always have a sore that it visible. Everything I’ve read and the pics I’ve seen show the classic black spot. What do you all think? I just don’t think that’s what it is based on my research. I’m not a vet or vet tech but....

 

[Eggcessive]

We see quite a bit of gout, bacterial joint infection (mycoplasma synovitis and others,) and lots of bumblefoot. While I cannot guarantee that you are not dealing with something else, I would bet that it is gout. About the only way to confirm this is with a necropsy after death. Dawg53 has also stated that it is gout, and he has a lot of experience with chickens. You would be surprised how many people here report that their vets misdiagnose these things.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is a link to read that has pictures of the white chaulky urate deposits seen on joints and on internal organs from gout during a necropsy:
https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/Roshanpaudel4/gout-in-poultry