chicken with a funny walk

[puddleandnugget]

Hi, I'm new to this forum (and chicken keeping) and need a bit of advice. I got a brown Pekin Batum (Puddle) from a farm, at the end of Novemeber. She was not used to being handled, so we took things slow. After a few weeks I noticed she had scaley feet. So I bathed and treated her and my other chicken, a lavender Pekin Batum (Nugget). And am still applying oil to Puddles feet as they are dry. Anyway, over the last week she has been pulling her right leg up high every time she sets of to walk, once she is walking it is fine. They free range and she forages for food, by scratting around, fine, she's eating the food I provide and drinking well. It's just the initial walking that's a prob'. They are from the same farm initially (although I have had Nugget since August - the farmer was kind enough to take back the the cocks he had sold me, in error, and I brought Puddle back). Please help she is so sweet, not sure of age. Thanks

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

Sorry about your bird. Keep working with the oil or vaseline for the leg scale mites. If these mites were bad enough, they can cause lameness and other bone issues in the leg. So keep applying the meds until you know the mites are gone and the scales are back to normal. This high step could be related to the leg scale mites. If they have damaged nerves or cause any bone infections, this may take some time to heal.

Make sure there is nothing wrong with her leg, foot joint or pad. Give her a good inspection, feeling for heat, looking for redness and swelling, or any puncture wounds in the pad of the foot.

Check the birds crop. I have seen this high stepping with crop issues. It is best to check a crop first thing in the morning as this is when they should be empty. Run your hand down the right side of her breast and the crop should be empty. Sometimes when they are developing a yeast infection, they will high step with the right foot to rub on their crop.

Treat her properly if she has any crop issues, swelling in the legs, feet or bumblefoot. If she turns up clean, then I would just keep an eye on her and keep treating for these mites. Hopefully she makes a complete recovery.

You can also post this in our emergency section as well...https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/10/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures

Welcome to our flock and enjoy BYC!

 

[drumstick diva]

 

[puddleandnugget]

Thanks - it is her right. Will check crop in the morning. She is fine otherwise and her feet/legs are getting less scaley. I am treating her with poultry scaley cream (painting on with a brush). Initially i gave her a bath in a little baby shampoo and dried her with a hair dryer (on a low heat, she loved it). Is there anything else i could be doing? Thanks again for your help. Also i only have two chickens atm, they get very upset if i take one away, so i keep them near each other at all times, would u recommend introducing another (one or two)? i did have four, as i know they live better with more around them (but three turned out to be boys so had to go back). I want them to be happy.

 

[ChickyChickens]

Welcome to BYC!!! There are loads of members on here…so if you have ANY questions…just ASK!!!

Hope you have loads of fun and all your answers answered here on BYC the BEST CHICKEN KEEPING FORUM on EARTH!!

 

[TwoCrows]

Thanks - it is her right. Will check crop in the morning. She is fine otherwise and her feet/legs are getting less scaley. I am treating her with poultry scaley cream (painting on with a brush). Initially i gave her a bath in a little baby shampoo and dried her with a hair dryer (on a low heat, she loved it). Is there anything else i could be doing? Thanks again for your help. Also i only have two chickens atm, they get very upset if i take one away, so i keep them near each other at all times, would u recommend introducing another (one or two)? i did have four, as i know they live better with more around them (but three turned out to be boys so had to go back). I want them to be happy.

Giving her a bath won't help with leg scale mites, but it sure can make her smell good.

Leg Scale Mites only effect the legs under the scales. You will want to spray with some sort of mite spray or dust with DE the roost bar and underneath the bar. Bugs like to hide under the bar and in any cracks in the wood. Give your coop a good cleaning once a week and your nest boxes too. Mites love to hang out in there too. Dust or spray in there and on the coop floor as well.

Leg Scale mites aren't fast moving, but watch your other birds as well. Older birds seem to be more susceptible to leg mites and it could be because of the lowering immune system. So you might get all your birds on some probiotics in their water. You can use human grade probiotics, but the animal version will be cheaper. But they are all the same stuff, so which ever you choose. Just make a new batch daily when using probiotics. Yogurt is good to feed them as well. If they will eat it off the spoon, a tablespoon per day per bird is a good amount.

If you do introduce more birds to your flock, add at least 2. 1 will be more inclined to be picked on much more than 2 birds. You can't just throw them all in together at first as there will be chaos and possible blood shed and or death. So keep the new birds in a cage or enclosure within the coop and run. Leave them this way for 3 to 4 weeks. Everybody sees, nobody touches. After 3 or 4 weeks you can mix them all together. Watch closely for too much aggression and always intervene if it turns bloody. And put more feed and watering stations out too as the original flock can starve out the new birds not allowing them to eat or drink for a while. It takes a few months to work new birds into any flock.

 

[Wyandottes7]

Welcome to BYC!

We're glad to have you.

 

[BantamLover21]

Glad you joined us!

 

[puddleandnugget]

Thanks guys. I was told to bath ha ha probs should have joined this forum earlier. I paint their feet with scaley cream every other day, Nugget it showing no signs of scaley foot, just taking precautions and Puddles are defo improving. I feed them bio yog' as a treat. Disinfect, powder and clean coup etc every 5 days. Feed apple cider vinegar one week a month, vermx one week a month. Layers pellets freely available, changed daily and taken in at night. Corn scattered mid afternoon. Worm every three months. I had to introduce the two i have to each other, long process but worth it. Am willing to introduce more if it will make for happy hens. Thanks for all ur help and friendly welcomes everyone.

 

[Book Em Danno25]