Copper mauran roosters feet

[Dustykathy]

I have been having trouble with my copper maurans feet for awhile now but they have gotten worse. He has bumps and sores on his feet now. Just the top the bottoms are fine. There are crusty bumps and when explored I found curled up feathers and almost like a thick cream colored oil. I have treated him and the coop with poultry dust. I have used ivomec and they just keep getting worse. The hens in the same pen don't have any problems with there feet. They have bare red butts but I think I have a bully. They have been treated the same as the rooster. I think I figured out the bully and have her moved. The other pens in the same row have no problems feet or feathers. Idk what could be going on. I attached some photos.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi there, welcome to BYC!

Arrr, poor fella!

How long since your treated with the Ivernectin? Which one and how did you dose? Did you do a second treatment? Are you able to seek veterinary help? When you treated your coop, did you get under your roost for possible red mites as well?

Also what are you feeding including treats and supplements?

 

[Dustykathy]

Hi there, welcome to BYC!

Arrr, poor fella!

How long since your treated with the Ivernectin? Which one and how did you dose? Did you do a second treatment? Are you able to seek veterinary help? When you treated your coop, did you get under your roost for possible red mites as well?

Also what are you feeding including treats and supplements?

I treat with ivomec once a week for 3 weeks, I covered the birds and coop in poultry dust each time too. I have used poultry dust many times before and after. I feet fancy scratch and layer pellets. Country lane I believe. They are now being allowed to free roam when I am home. Predators have prevented that previously. I dosed everybody when I treated just to be safe. I work for a veterinarian but he does not do chickens.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

There are crusty bumps and when explored I found curled up feathers and almost like a thick cream colored oil.

Poor guy!
The curled up feathers and thick cream colored oil sounds like impacted feather follicles in the feet.
I would try soaking his feet daily in a warm epsom salts solution to help heal the skin. Dry well and I think in this case since he's bleeding, apply Vetericyn or triple antibiotic ointment. Any impacted feathers you find you may need to pull they out or at least tease them on out.

16% Layer feed along with scratch he may not be getting enough protein. Increase his protein with egg, fish or meat or give him an 18-20% protein feed like chick starter or flock raiser. I would also give him a direct dose of poultry vitamins like Poultry Cell a couple of times a week.

Keep us posted.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I feet fancy scratch and layer pellets.

I agree with the assessment and suggestions of Wyorp Rock. And also thought a warm or tepid Epsom salt soak might help.

Scratch is too low in protein and other vitamins minerals and amino acids to be fed with layer which has only 16% protein. I bred FBCM for a few years and dual purpose birds such as these will do best on not less than 18% protein. Most often I use 20% protein Flock Raiser with oyster shell on the side for layers. Increasing nutrition will give him a better chance to fight this stuff off. It also increases hatch rate and decreases time spent molting and severity of molt in many cases. The Poultry Cell is good stuff.

Ivomec is some powerful stuff and very effective if you took weights and administered the correct dosage. It should have only been administered every 14 days though is my understanding. I might turn from parasites and focus on healing him thinking it should be under control and maybe the excess chemicals aren't helping his skin condition or actually aggravating it. Are you able to post a full pic of him and maybe the ladies bumms who you said were bare?

 

[Dustykathy]

It's alot harder to take pics when their moving lol. I wondered about protein. He has some feathers missing around his head too. I had 1 hen that's rump was fine so I thought she might be a problem too. That's why I figured she might be an issue. I haven't treated with ivomec in a few weeks but I have been using poultry dust because of the upper feather loss. I tried to research leg mites and found treating with ivomec was recommended once a week for 3 weeks. But obviously that didn't help. The swollen areas are hard too if that helps. I removed as many of the feathers from the holes as I could. I will try soaking his feet and upping the protein. I just kept going with mites because it seemed the most common but then the bumps raised up. I have had chickens for 4 to 5 years and never had so many feather problems as I have had this year. I have one who is missing her feathers all up and down her chest but after I treated with poultry dust a few times a he has her under coat feathers back but haven't got the top layer of feathers yet. Again why I was on the mite treatment. I also have 2 other pens of chickens that do not have any feather loss. It's just the copper maurans.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

He may be starting to molt too, how old is he?

I would soak the feet/legs daily, then apply your ointment. From the photos I would have said Scaly Leg Mites too - the Ivermectin "should" have killed those, but damaged scales can take a while to heal, so your ointment hopefully will help with that too.

 

[Dustykathy]

So update, yesterday I pulled multiple feathers that were curled up under the skin and in the lumps. Today his feet actually look a little better and less inflammed. I am going to get a higher protein feed next time too.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

If you did have a mite problem, it should be taken care of now and just take time for things to get back to looking normal.

The gals with the bare rumps... could have been the mites BUT, sometimes that is an indication of liver conditions or other possible internal problems. It looks like they may be swollen and squishy as well??

But the feathers may not grow back until they molt even if the issue was resolved.

He really is beautiful... hang in there and boost his own immunity!