Chicks foot swelled up, and can barely walk

[ChicksAreMylife]

I saw a chick following around one of my hens, it was limping but not too badly, I took it in and decided to keep it with my chicks for a few days and it's foot starting swelling. It took about a day or two for me to notice the giant foot this chick had, I think the chick is a 2-3 weeks old, none of my other chickens have swelling feet, it struggles to get it's foot in a comfortable spot to lay, and it's other foot is starting to swell up too, I don't think I can afford a vet so I'm kinda hoping anyone here can help

(First two images are the swollen feet, the last is the other foot that's starting to swell, sorry for the blurry pics, can take better ones if needed)

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Better photos would help

Did this chick have bands on the legs or was it hobbled to try to correct a leg issue?

Hard to see, so hopefully clear well-lit photos will help, but both legs look to have indentations. And what looks like some abrasions.

If the legs had been wrapped, banded or hobbled too tightly, the legs may have lost some blood flow. Hopefully this will resolve over the course of a week or so. You can try giving the legs a little soak daily in a warm epsom salts bath to see if this helps with inflammation.
For any scabs or abrasions, apply a thin coating of triple antibiotic ointment.

Are the joints o.k. or do they have scabs?

 

[ChicksAreMylife]

I can get better pictures in the morning, and yeah I think the joints are scabbed? iirc if that is, the legs haven't been wrapped or like taped or anything so I don't think it's a blood flow thing. I'll try the soaking thing whenever the chicks start waking up. I think it may have stepped on something? Basically all my chickens are free ranged, except for like my personal chicks and quail. so there's a high possibility it may have stepped on a spliter or nail, cuz we got coops being built, and alot sharp stuff laying around because of that. if it did end up stepping on something will the problem go away over time?

 

[ChicksAreMylife]

Better photos would help

Did this chick have bands on the legs or was it hobbled to try to correct a leg issue?

Hard to see, so hopefully clear well-lit photos will help, but both legs look to have indentations. And what looks like some abrasions.

If the legs had been wrapped, banded or hobbled too tightly, the legs may have lost some blood flow. Hopefully this will resolve over the course of a week or so. You can try giving the legs a little soak daily in a warm epsom salts bath to see if this helps with inflammation.
For any scabs or abrasions, apply a thin coating of triple antibiotic ointment.

Are the joints o.k. or do they have scabs?


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I ment to reply with my other comment, but here are the better pics, and the joints aren't scabbed, also looked on the feet there are no scabs

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm going to tag @Eggcessive

No, I don't think this is from stepping on something.

What do you feed your chicks?

I can get better pictures in the morning, and yeah I think the joints are scabbed? iirc if that is, the legs haven't been wrapped or like taped or anything so I don't think it's a blood flow thing. I'll try the soaking thing whenever the chicks start waking up. I think it may have stepped on something? Basically all my chickens are free ranged, except for like my personal chicks and quail. so there's a high possibility it may have stepped on a spliter or nail, cuz we got coops being built, and alot sharp stuff laying around because of that. if it did end up stepping on something will the problem go away over time?

I ment to reply with my other comment, but here are the better pics, and the joints aren't scabbed, also looked on the feet there are no scabs

 

[Eggcessive]

I am wondering if the enlarged joints are due to arthritis, either mycoplasma synoviae or viral arthritis? MS is common in some flocks, and causes swollen hock and ankle joints. Antibiotics have little effect. It is contagious and can be passed to flock mates and also through hatching eggs. Here is some reading about it:
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/mycoplasmosis/mycoplasma-synoviae-infection-in-poultry