Ducks with "cracks" in feet?

[ClaudiaKat]

Okay, so today during my weekly health check on all my outside birds, I noticed that both of my female Pekins had a few cracks on the bottom of their feet. I washed there feet with warm water and Dawn Anti-Bacterial soap, and then rinsed their feet in hydrogen peroxide. I thought about bandaging their foot with neosporn, but I figured the bandage would just turn into a breed ground for bacteria once it got wet/soiled. Nothing looked infected, just cracks.
:/
Does anyone know how to prevent dry or cracked feet? Should I bandage them with antibacterial cream?

 

[Amiga]

I would not bandage the feet, but I would be sure to put ointment on them at least at bedtime.

I am wondering if they could benefit from some flaxseed meal in their food - I seem to recall there is something in flax that is good for the skin and bill.

Anything going on with the weather, or what they've been walking on?

 

[ClaudiaKat]

Alright I'll definitely apply the ointment tomorrow after I wash them again!

I actually just bought some organic flaxseed for my yogurt & smoothies so I'll start them on that tomorrow as well. Right now the weather is in the high 70s and 80s but it very dry for NC, usually it's humid so maybe that has something to do with it? My hands are dry and cracked so I can kind of relate? And they share of a coop with my chickens and it is filled with Mulch which is softened up due to the scratching.

 

[Amiga]

I would also give them each a tablespoon of good quality dry cat kibble every other day for a couple of weeks - again, to try to give them nutrients that would help them heal (protein, vitamin D)