Feathered Feet/Silkie Feet Problems

[HeatherKellyB]

I have started treatment for SLM for several of my birds tonight, but my silkie cockerel, Blue, seems to have the worst case. I soaked his legs and feet for about 15 minutes, brushed over legs and feet with toothbrush, then coated Petroleum Jelly all over legs and feet. He had some redness and what felt like an extra toe (due to swelling) on the opposite side of his normal extra toe. While working to separate the feathers to cover every part of his foot, I felt something odd. Then I noticed some white chunks and feathers that were kinked up. Apparently a feather was ingrown and started getting infected. I was able to remove the pus surrounding the feather but it seems like there is still a white casing around the feather deep in the follicle. Does this need to be removed to clear things up completely? Does the feather need to come out? It feels very attached and like it'll be painful to remove. It was a bit smelly one I started cleaning the pus out. After discovering this, I found at least 3 other places very similar to this, but there is no feather even starting to break through the skin. It's just a white nub at the end of what seems like a swollen follicle. Is this normal? Do I need to try to clear the white away and do anything else or is this normal silkie feathered feet? I'll post pictures in the comments

 

[HeatherKellyB]

He did act like this foot was bothering him this morning and pulled back immediately as I tried to palpate the area, so I know it was painful. He is super easy to deal with and rarely puts up any fight for anything I try to do to him. This picture shows the kinked up feather and some of the pus around the base of the feather before I got it all pulled out and all of the pus removed

 

[HeatherKellyB]

This picture is showing his other foot and one of the, what I am assuming is, a red & swollen follicle with a white tip and no feather. Blue does act like it's a little tender, but not like his other foot.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

This is a view of the painful foot before I found the problem. It felt so swollen like he had another toe.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Anyone able to help?

 

[BuckeyeAmy69]

Ouch! This looks really painful! If he was my roo, I'd give him a nice long soak in a sink with comfortably warm water and a handful of Epsom Salts tossed in. That stuff works miracles. I'd also definitely treat with antibiotic, like Vetericyn spray. Poor boy! I hope he gets better!

 

[HeatherKellyB]

E="BuckeyeAmy69, post: 22682148, member: 558844"]
Ouch! This looks really painful! If he was my roo, I'd give him a nice long soak in a sink with comfortably warm water and a handful of Epsom Salts tossed in. That stuff works miracles. I'd also definitely treat with antibiotic, like Vetericyn spray. Poor boy! I hope he gets better!
[/QUOTE]
Thank you for your reply! He doesn't act like it's painful since the day after getting the ingrown feather out, but then again, we all know how well chickens hide discomfort. Before, I was able to notice him stopping and trying to check his foot as if something wasn't right. He would also stand on the other foot while tucking the one foot up to his little body. Thankfully he is running and jumping (do all silkies run and jump like they have springs in their legs?) and doing everything like normal. I am still checking his feet, looking at this foot, especially the infected area, soaking, applying neosporine, and treating him for SLM every night. So, the other feathers don't look normal, right? I've noticed one that I worried was ingrown, is slowly peeking out of the follicle more and more each day. I really don't like seeing so much redness though, so it worries me.

Edited to add: I didn't remove the feather, I only freed it from being ingrown and removed the pus around the follicle.

 

[BuckeyeAmy69]

Sounds like he's feeling much better! Good on you for noticing there was a problem. I don't have any feather-legged breeds so I'm reluctant to give an opinion on what looks like pin feathers not quite unsheathed yet. Hopefully a knowledgeable Silkie owner will respond.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Sounds like he's feeling much better! Good on you for noticing there was a problem. I don't have any feather-legged breeds so I'm reluctant to give an opinion on what looks like pin feathers not quite unsheathed yet. Hopefully a knowledgeable Silkie owner will respond.

Thank you so much for your time and advice. I really appreciate you.

 

[BuckeyeAmy69]

Thank you so much for your time and advice. I really appreciate you.

You're very welcome!