Duck foot injury / illness, need advice

[Kerya]

Recently the humidity has been harder to control in my duck house than usual, and now my boys feet don’t look good.
I’m assuming the humidity + cold has done it, or helped do it ?

I don’t fully believe it’s bumble foot as some of these cut like things have a scaly / ridged sort of texture.
I forget the name of that type of thing and how to treat it. Would I gently pick the scabs of the larger ones to flush & clean it? (He’s gotten an Epsom soak so far and some spray)

What would this even be?
Thanks I’m advance!

 

[BobStuart]

How cold is it? I’m thinking frostbite maybe.

 

[Kerya]

How cold is it? I’m thinking frostbite maybe.

It has gotten around and up to -10°c so far (inside the duck house) but where I am it gets a lot colder so it won’t be easier going forward either.

One of my other runners did / does have a bit of frostbite and he’s been inside since (zipper). It’s not a horrible case either but looks different to what this duck in the images has (Timbit)

(Actually, googling images some of the raised bits do kind of look like frost bite. If it is for sure, I wouldn’t know how I’m supposed to treat these “cuts”)

 

[BobStuart]

If it is frostbite I have heard it should be left alone but I have never experienced frostbite on me or my chickens. I am not an expert on it and unfortunately do not know an expert

 

[Jenbirdee]

i think frostbite starts at tips and edges? so I don’t think it’s frost bite. It looks like little cuts like you said . like that are trying to heal themselves by scabbing over or perhaps turning into Bumblefoot. but let me clarify that Im not frostbite experienced so I could be wrong, therefore I'll tag some ppl more knowledgable.
What is -10c is that like in the teens in f? It’s been down in the teens overnight every night this week here,, so early in the morning when I first open the duck house they come out for water ,,which I put near the front of the house,, with a lot of straw on the ground around it, And then they go back in the house,, it’s windy and in the low 20s or teens. I am in Maryland and it doesn’t really get much colder than that. We’ve had single digits a couple of times but that’s Fahrenheit so I don’t know what it is in Celsius. as far as humidity what kind of coop are they in and do they have enough ventilation I am guessing no? They need one square foot of ventilation space per duck.. windows should be up at least a couple feet higher than the ducks every window you have needs to be covered securely with 1/2 inch hardware cloth . I actually staple it on inside and out so there’s two layers of hardware cloth and then I screw on wood frame over the outside part. My duck house is an old children’s Playhouse that didn’t have enough ventilation so I got my tools out and cut windows into it. You may have to do the same if possible??
Soaking their feet in warm, Epson salt water should help them and you can use antibacterial ointment that does not have pain relief and you can wrap them use a cause pad and then Vet wrap and then tape it with medical tape there are also little duck booties you can buy online.
@Miss Lydia @Canadian Wind

 

[Jenbirdee]

hey also are you keeping their water inside their house where they sleep? they don’t need water overnight inside their house, especially a heated bucket that would really humidify the air in there

 

[Jenbirdee]

just in case if its frostbite read this article first
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...to-know-about-injury-care-and-recovery.78168/

 

[Miss Lydia]

-10 C is 14F no I am not smart I have a temp converter.

Looks like @Jenbirdee has given you good info. We have had temps down to 4* F this past week and -20 wind chills which is -15.56 C yuck , having good ventilation is very important at or around the roof line so moisture can escape ducks create a lot of moisture.
No water or feed overnight [they can't eat without water]
Hopefully, some nice warm Epsom salt soaks will take care of it. I don't think it is frostbite either. What are they walking on if there is wire that needs to be removed or something thick like stall mats and or deep shaving to protect their feet.

 

[Canadian Wind]

My experience with frostbite is that it's the extremities that get it first. I have a rooster that's missing several toes due to this, and one of my drakes lost his webbing just this winter.

Keep the floor as dry as possible (I add fresh shavings regularly), no food or water in the coop (I cheat a bit on this when it's really really cold, like last week at about -25c, and then regret it when I can't open the door), and throw down some shavings or straw or hay over the ground so they don't have direct contact with it. Some of my ducks don't mind the snow, they actually bathe in it, but the Muscovy all hate it.

Whilst it *could* be contact frostbite in those areas, using the above precautions will help prevent any further damage.

 

[Kerya]

@Jenbirdee @Miss Lydia @Canadian Wind

The ventilation does need to be fixed, I need better ventilation on their side of the duck house. It’s a bit hard to explain but essentially I converted a greenhouse to be their duck house / coop. It‘s currently sectioned off in 3 groups, the runner ducks being on the most right side.
Their vents were closed off as raccoons were getting in from that spot, but that was way back in the summer (2022 I think) before I had anyone in full time so I forgot about it now that they’re out here.
(First winter being outside & first year being full time in general)

-10 c is about 14 F , and where I am it can get to -40 even. My dehumidifier just arrived so I’ll be putting that in their side as well while I figure out how to make a new vent space. They do have a front and back window that are currently closed, but they don’t yet have hardware cloth.
I’ve ordered an ointment / vetericyn on prime so hoping it gets here fast, otherwise I’ve been using aloe Vera after epsom soaks because it apparently helps with frost bite? (Just in case that’s what it is)

Just as I noticed their feet I’ve been removing their food and water at night, I wasn’t sure if they’d find random stuff to eat at night if they didn’t have water but that is more risky. But yeah, they did have it nightly until now so I can see that’s apart of it.
(By finding stuff, they would pick at the styrofoam insulation in spots I didn’t have it covered lol but I‘m certain I’ve got all or most spots covered now).

As for their bedding, it’s all just straw. It gets a bit sharp / hard when it gets chillier outside so I’m thinking that might have irritated their feet as well.
Lately the blend may have things like foxtail which I guess can also cut / poke their feet. And with all the added humidity / water it just all became a huge thing.

The reason I feed them inside is because their run isn’t winter proofed, so I can’t have them eat / drink outside at the moment. I clean the straw every other day but I got sick myself recently, so I let it slip for a bit and was just spot cleaning. Clearly that was a bad move but I’m going to clean every day for their side until I can get different feeding / watering buckets. They're just rubber dishes basically so I‘m going to try the buckets where they can only get their mouths / heads in. Hopefully this will stop that splashing around.

For now, the 3 of them are inside while I treat them until I get more medicine / ointments. The other 4 are looking good and can stay outside, with an epsom soak here and there.
Sorry for the massive text!