Feathers pulled off one wing, occasionally limping

[FattySmough]

I inspected the feet of the rest of my flock and also found this on my Amberlink hen's foot
She hasn't been limping though.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Quick responses!

Vetericyn is a gentle cleanser. It's good stuff and helpful to have on hand, but there are other cleansers you can use. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. Even a thorough flushing with water or saline is fine.

Any wrap that will stay on is fine. Athletic wrap is basically the same thing as vet wrap as it is the kind of bandage that sticks to itself. You can use gauze and tape, too.

No need to separate.

 

[Aunt Angus]

And that 2nd scab is small. I wouldn't be surprised if you get that scab off and there isn't much going on underneath. But if it is infected, you'll treat it the exact same way.

I now do weekly foot checks on my entire flock after they are on the roost at night. I did one last night after being on vacation for a while and found 1 duck with the start of an infection and an older hen who needs a toenail trimmed. I just do general checks, really, and look them over. It helps catch potential problems early.

 

[FattySmough]

Quick responses!

Vetericyn is a gentle cleanser. It's good stuff and helpful to have on hand, but there are other cleansers you can use. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. Even a thorough flushing with water or saline is fine.

Any wrap that will stay on is fine. Athletic wrap is basically the same thing as vet wrap as it is the kind of bandage that sticks to itself. You can use gauze and tape, too.

No need to separate.

And that 2nd scab is small. I wouldn't be surprised if you get that scab off and there isn't much going on underneath. But if it is infected, you'll treat it the exact same way.

I now do weekly foot checks on my entire flock after they are on the roost at night. I did one last night after being on vacation for a while and found 1 duck with the start of an infection and an older hen who needs a toenail trimmed. I just do general checks, really, and look them over. It helps catch potential problems early.

Thanks for the fast reply!

Good to know I have most of what I need then. Vetericyn is quite expensive so I'm glad that's not necessary. Also very glad that I won't need to separate them. I think I'll try gauze with athletic bandages for wrapping. Hopefully the smaller scab won't be anything serious.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

@Aunt Angus, @Wyorp Rock

I am going to see if I can buy some of the supplies before I have to go in to work today, but I have a few questions first.

-The article says after removing the plug to spray vetericyn on the bottom of the foot and then apply neosporin or duoderm gel. Is the vetericyn spray necessary? I never heard anyone else mention it.
-Do I have to buy specifically vet wrap, or will regular athletic bandages work fine?
-Will my chicken have to be housed seperately after I have started working on her foot, or can she still free range with everyone else? She would probably hate being stuck by herself but I have a good sized dog crate if necessary.

Thanks

I inspected the feet of the rest of my flock and also found this on my Amberlink hen's foot
She hasn't been limping though.

Vetericyn isn't necessary for this, I agree, it's expensive.
Salt water or soapy water to wash should be fine. I like to buythe cheapest generic triple antibiotic ointment I can find. Not just for the chickens, but for me too.
Vet or sports wrap are basically the same thing. I usually buy wide rolls, they can be about the same price as the narrower. If you have wide, then roll off about 7-10", then cut it into narrower strips. Narrow strips makes it easier to wrap the foot.

I wouldn't separate her unless you feel it's absolutely necessary. My runs are mostly covered and remain relatively dry, so anytime I treat feet, I just tend to it, wrap and let them back with their flock.
IF the wrappings get wet, then you will want to change them out more frequently.

 

[FattySmough]

Vetericyn isn't necessary for this, I agree, it's expensive.
Salt water or soapy water to wash should be fine. I like to buythe cheapest generic triple antibiotic ointment I can find. Not just for the chickens, but for me too.
Vet or sports wrap are basically the same thing. I usually buy wide rolls, they can be about the same price as the narrower. If you have wide, then roll off about 7-10", then cut it into narrower strips. Narrow strips makes it easier to wrap the foot.

I wouldn't separate her unless you feel it's absolutely necessary. My runs are mostly covered and remain relatively dry, so anytime I treat feet, I just tend to it, wrap and let them back with their flock.
IF the wrappings get wet, then you will want to change them out more frequently.

Got it! Hopefully I'll have some time once I get off work to start treatment.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Yeah, I buy the vet wrap from TSC that's sold for horses. It's under $3 a roll, and I cut it into thinner strips. Soooo much cheaper than the stuff for people.

 

[FattySmough]

Yeah, I buy the vet wrap from TSC that's sold for horses. It's under $3 a roll, and I cut it into thinner strips. Soooo much cheaper than the stuff for people.

Darn, I would love to get that if my nearest TSC wasn't so far from me. I did manage to find some athletic wrap for 6 dollars at my store though.

 

[FattySmough]

I'm home from work and have all my supplies now, but it looks like it's going to be raining soon and continuing on and off for a couple of days. Should I maybe wait to start her treatment until the rainy weather passes? I imagine her walking around getting her bandage muddy and wet would be breeding grounds for infection especially with how warm it is. I wish I could say I have a rain protected run but I don't.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I'm home from work and have all my supplies now, but it looks like it's going to be raining soon and continuing on and off for a couple of days. Should I maybe wait to start her treatment until the rainy weather passes? I imagine her walking around getting her bandage muddy and wet would be breeding grounds for infection especially with how warm it is. I wish I could say I have a rain protected run but I don't.

That's a good question. You can start treating, maybe, and just change the bandage more frequently?