Chicken with leg infection!!!! Am I doing the right thing?

[Wiglwerm]

Ok, stopped over a friends house a week ago, he has RIR's and is getting ready to order some babies. Keep in mind these are just chickens to him...not precious babies (like mine). He has been upgrading his pen and I of course, always looking for ideas, went to check it out. He had two RIR hens left out of about 10. I remember him saying his chickens were dying but I got no more details than that out of him. The hens had terrible scaly leg mites!! AHHHH!! But what caught my attention was one of them would not put any weight on one leg...HUMMMM...So I jump right in and pick her up to investigate and there is a HUGE scab like gunky thing on her ?knee? joint? about half an inch thick...I poke aroung the area and PUSSS oooozzzzeeesss out.

I'm like "oh no, this is not good"....But not my problem...I can't be taking on this project (I say to myself). So I go back to the house and mention the leg mite issue. He had no idea, he thought it was "old age", nope I say and explain what he needs to do (But truthfully I can't see him vaseline-ing the chickens legs so I tell him about the ivermectin also) Also mention the chicken with the infected leg and maybe they should think about chicken dinner? and THEN I SAY...Why don't you let me take her home for a few days and I'll give her some antibiotic injections and fix her up for you? "Sure go ahead" he says... (sucker me) Well it was gross to say the least...HUGE puss plug with a bit of swelling. Have been soaking it and keeping the scab from forming as it needs to continue to drain. Packing it with a drawing salve. Have given injectable tylan 1/2 cc daily...seems to be getting smaller but still some puss. She is eating well but doesn't put any weight on the leg. I am concerned that she may have the infection in the bone. Am I doing the right thing?

I told my husband I would atleast try since I have the antibiotics and a soft head....I mean, heart. I soaked her legs and scrubbed them gently with a toothbrush and they are looking Much better, slathered them with a mixture of Sevin dust and water let that dry and today applied vaseline. Alot of the cruddy scales have come off and the legs are starting to look more chicken than monster. All of this mauling takes about an hour and she puts up with it very well. Oh yeah she was also completly covered with fleas. They were lined up on her head sucking blood, I have never seen anything like that before. I bathed her and picked every one of those blood suckers off. No she is nowhere near my flock, she is penned seperately on the other side of the yard...God forbid a good deed hurt MY babies!!

 

[chicmom]

Oh wow! You are a lifesaver to that chicken......I would mix some seven dust in with the vasceline. That works really well. I gotta give you credit, I wouldn't probably have taken them.

 

[Wiglwerm]

After all this work I really hope this infection clears up, it would be such a let down to have to cull her, But I figure a week more of intensive wound care and antibiotics and if the infection hasn't cleared I think I will make my husband do the deed. I don't know if I can cure a bone infection, if it is.... and I don't want her to suffer. But as we all know chickens are pretty resilent when it comes to wounds.

 

[Chicken Chat]

I am not sure I could do what you are doing and then giver her back, but I have to give you credit for stepping in.

Once you get her all fixed up, do you think you could return her?

 

[Wiglwerm]

She may just retire here.. He is getting 25 babies (HEH HEH HEH)

 

[Wiglwerm]

UPDATE!! I think finally I am seeing progress! Cleaned and de-scabbed to release any underlying puss and for the first time...NO PUSS came out. I don't know if she will ever use the leg again but atleast I know the infection and pain will be gone. I can't wait to tell her owner, I think he thinks I kidnapped his chicken, I told her I would get her back into shape in a few days. ( I think it's been two weeks) He is a real nice guy always willing to help people out so doing this for him is worth it. And maybe I can give him a bit more chicken health knowledge that I have learned on BYC.

 

[Wiglwerm]

Leg is almost healed!!Yeee HAWWW.

Still a little swollen but I see no more infection, also the leg mites are gone...legs are almost completly scaleless but the scales will grow back. I called my friend and he said he did not want her back, and sent over the other RIR female...Her legs are Horrible as well with mites. Started her treatment but I am comfident with the outcome of the leg mite horror. The first RIR started laying eggs as she began to get better and better. Her eggs are HUGE!! Maybe she is thanking me for saving her?

She has finally moved in with two of my grown laying hens and my one roo and there was no fighting or anything, so it was all worth it in the end!!!

Oh yeah she started to put weight on the leg too!!

 

[countrychix]

I'm so glad for the wonderful outcome, for her sake and yours.