Chicken's 'ankles' both bleeding

[Maton1]

Hi. A beginner's question but first some background. We had about the coldest day probably of this Winter today. It was about 19.5 degrees Fahrenheit and windy. For that reason I checked on my chickens every couple of hours during the day to make sure that they had unfrozen water. As I went out one last time before they went to bed I suddenly noticed that one of my Hens had slightly bloody 'ankles' on both feet. The injury on both feet is symetrical and looks as if someone tried to tie her ankles up causing injury.
As said, I observed her all day since in the morning hours and she didn't have this blood on both her feet. I check regularly my chickens feet for disease and injuries. I have also never noticed raised scales on her feet as if she could have scaly legmites. But I did notice as I was trying to clear the blood away that the scales on the feet looked a little 'rough' and some maybe slightly raised.

I couldn't treat her much as it was getting close to them going in the coop for the evening so I just cleaing the blood off and put some antibiotic cream on her.

Now I'm concerned it could be scaly legmites as both wounds were at the same area (ankles) on both feet.
At first I thought she injured herself some crazy way or somehow from the cold weather we're suddenly having.

I also have another hen who has become more aggresive to other hens, trying to pull their feathers out and pecking at the feathers on the feet of my Marans.

Could it be simply pecking? This one aggresive chicken seems hungry for blood although I give some protein during the week. I just don't understand why her feet were fine all day and then a couple of hours later I go out and both legs are bleeding.

How to deal with this now when it's gotten soo cold is also perplexing to me. I guess I can't separate her and bring her inside since the temps from outside to inside are too extreme? 19 degrees vs 72 . That can't be good can it?. And the next evenings are getting colder, maybe down to 15 degrees.


Any thoughts/advice? I'm clueless and just starting to panick that it might be scaly legmites! thnx

 

[Jack3291]

Hm thats quite weird. I don't think its leg mites because usually that doesn't result in bleeding. My best recommendation is to watch and see if it's one of the other chickens, but beside that I don't know what else you could do tbh. Check if the others are suffering from the same symptoms if so, it's prob the cold.

 

[SulkyBantam]

Pics please?

 

[Maton1]

Pics please?

I'll try to get some tomorow!

 

[SulkyBantam]

I'll try to get some tomorow!

Ok, good luck!

 

[ChicNmom]

Is she in a dry environment? You could put some vaseline on her legs and then the warp. Then wrap her feet and ankles in vet wrap. That would stop any pecking and if it's because of dry skin or something you could

 

[Maton1]

Hm thats quite weird. I don't think its leg mites because usually that doesn't result in bleeding. My best recommendation is to watch and see if it's one of the other chickens, but beside that I don't know what else you could do tbh. Check if the others are suffering from the same symptoms if so, it's prob the cold.

Ya I was also baffled. If it's not leg mites then I suspect it could be my Sussex that has been bullying others. I also have two Marans which are lower on the pecking order and one of them has been going through a molt this winter. Because the Maran has feathers on her legs she's bled from there as new ones come in. My Sussex has been pecking at the moulting Marans feets looking for blood as well as pulling at the neck feathers of the other Maran. They're both very mellow birds so they just stand there and let their feathers be almost ripped out before they move out of the way. The bully Sussex is my tame-ist bird.

So if it's my bully Sussex would I separate her from the group or better my injured chicken (which also happens to be a Sussex).

 

[Maton1]

Is she in a dry environment? You could put some vaseline on her legs and then the warp. Then wrap her feet and ankles in vet wrap. That would stop any pecking and if it's because of dry skin or something you could

It's dry this week just because it's soo cold. Ya I'll try that. But won't the vet wrap again attrack the birds to peck even more? I know they go crazy for anything that looks like paper, or a bandage. My Sussex is the most curious of them all and goes for that kinda stuff right away.

 

[ChicNmom]

Don't use red. Maybe Get the human version in beige? I've used it a lot and never had any of mine peck at it. Once it's on it sticks to itself really well.

The only time I've notice them pecking each others feet is when someone on the lower roost pecks the feet of one on the top to try and get them to move.

 

[Maton1]

Don't use red. Maybe Get the human version in beige? I've used it a lot and never had any of mine peck at it. Once it's on it sticks to itself really well.

The only time I've notice them pecking each others feet is when someone on the lower roost pecks the feet of one on the top to try and get them to move.

Ok. I have to go find some. I don't have. We put for now a similar kind of bandage but she already started pulling it off herself... Here is a pic of her feet btw! Sorry it's not so clear. It doesn't look like it's leg mites. The scales aren't raised up. It looks to me like some kind of injury. It seems though like maybe the bleeding was coming from underneath the scales which concerns me. I put again antibiotics and put some vaseline on them. The other birds weren't bothering her too much but should I isolate her? I only have a large doggie transport box/cage thing. The problem is it's really cold now. They all take refuge under their coop when it's soo cold. I don't know what to do with her over night. I can separate her during the day but then put her back in the coop with the others at night? But so far in the morning at least they weren't pecking on her. But I have to leave today and I'm concerned about leaving her alone, especially with my bully Sussex in their with her.