cochin rooster’s feet in bad shape, scaly leg mites? help please..

[angela hernandez]

this is my mark the buff cochin, his feet had never looked this bad before and i never noticed due to me being in school most of the day. i’d do the usual, feed them in the mornings before i’d leave and let them out. but today when i actually got the chance to sit with them i noticed his hens pecking at his feet, and they look really bad.. i feel terrible for not having noticed before, i’m not sure what to do? should i seperate him from the hens ? it looks like he might have scaly leg mites too.. please help, any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[azygous]

It may be mostly molt. That's probably why he's being pecked. Those new blood feathers are pretty irresistible to chickens.

I have a couple of old feather-footed hens, and their feet look like that in spite of being treated. But I do give them soaks in spinosad which is a safe insecticide. If you happen to have Sevin at your house to spray insects, that's also safe to soak chickens' feet, about a tablespoon in a gallon of water.

If you don't have the Sevin, give his feet a nice long soak in salt water or Epsom salts. Then really load his feet up with Vaseline. Let it alone for a week, then do it all over again. It may take months for his feet to improve in appearance, but this should take care of any leg mites.

 

[angela hernandez]

thank you.. i’ll definitely look into that. i appreciate the help