Hi, everyone! I have been dealing with my chicken pecking at her feet and I’ve reached a point where I don’t know how to help her anymore. The issue started about 10 days ago when I noticed one of my hens was separated from the flock and hiding under a ladder. She ended up moving her foot and I realized it was bleeding. This is my least tame hen and as I got closer, she moved from under the bladder and I noticed that both of her feet were bleeding. I initially thought she cut herself on something, but after spending all day doing research I realized that 3 of my hens, who were gifted to me, have scaly leg mites. I had no clue about SLM previously and just assumed their feet were funky looking. I feel horrible for not realizing sooner. I suspect that she may have had discomfort from mites and pecked at her own feet, which caused the bleeding. I treated all 3 with vaseline and also put some antibiotic cream on my hen who pecked at her feet. They all looked a lot better overnight and I have continued the vaseline treatments on all 3 to ensure I get the mites.
However, my hen who pecked at her feet has continued to peck at them. She very clearly looks like she is in pain and is uncomfortable. She is walking better now (no longer limping like she was after she initially pecked at her feet) and I have bought some Vetwrap yo try and form a barrier to allow her feet to heal. She was looking a lot better until yesterday when I noticed she had pecked at some of the wrap, removed it, and once again pecked at her feet. I again wrapped them to try and stop her from pecking and have continued to wash and apply antibacterial cream and vetrx after her pecking.
Since yesterday, she has seemed a little more lethargic than she has in the past few days. Yesterday she spent some time sunbathing and pecking around in the yard, but most of today she has been laying under the nesting box shelf in their chicken coop. She has been eating and drinking water (although she is eating less than she did before) and I do provide her some extra grubs and oatmeal mash (oats, honey, water, greek yogurt) as that seems to bring her energy up a bit. It has been pretty wet and rainy so I wonder if she’s under there cause it’s dry and warm. She has continued to perch despite her issues but today when I went to close the coop I noticed that she is resting on the floor rather than on the perch.
I am doing my best to bring her back to health but am starting to feel frustrated and lost as she doesn’t stop the pecking and it’s just a cycle of pecking -> looking better -> pecking and I don’t know what to do. I have a few questions and am hoping my fellow chicken owners can help me out:
1. Aside from wrapping her feet with vetrx, is there anything I can do to help stop her pecking? Would chicken blinders block her from being able to see her feet?
2. Are there any products I can use to help speed up her healing?
3. Should I be worried about her laying under the shelves in the coop? I assume it’s better cause she’s not pecking at her feet and it’s warmer and dry in there but idk.
4. Are there any things I can feed her to help raise her energy? In addition to the oats, honey water, chicken feed, and grubs?
5. Is there anything else I can do to help her feet heal faster? Any other tips in general?
Other info that may help: I am not sure how old she is as she was given to us by my uncle but I assume she is at least 1. I believe she is a black Australorp. None of my other chickens (9 total) have been showing any signs of illness. Her poops are off and are more watery and yellow/green that normal (picture attached). I have also attached a picture of my hen.
I appreciate anyone who has read this far and sincerely appreciate any help and advice folks can send my way. I am desperately trying to help her and don’t know what to do anymore
However, my hen who pecked at her feet has continued to peck at them. She very clearly looks like she is in pain and is uncomfortable. She is walking better now (no longer limping like she was after she initially pecked at her feet) and I have bought some Vetwrap yo try and form a barrier to allow her feet to heal. She was looking a lot better until yesterday when I noticed she had pecked at some of the wrap, removed it, and once again pecked at her feet. I again wrapped them to try and stop her from pecking and have continued to wash and apply antibacterial cream and vetrx after her pecking.
Since yesterday, she has seemed a little more lethargic than she has in the past few days. Yesterday she spent some time sunbathing and pecking around in the yard, but most of today she has been laying under the nesting box shelf in their chicken coop. She has been eating and drinking water (although she is eating less than she did before) and I do provide her some extra grubs and oatmeal mash (oats, honey, water, greek yogurt) as that seems to bring her energy up a bit. It has been pretty wet and rainy so I wonder if she’s under there cause it’s dry and warm. She has continued to perch despite her issues but today when I went to close the coop I noticed that she is resting on the floor rather than on the perch.
I am doing my best to bring her back to health but am starting to feel frustrated and lost as she doesn’t stop the pecking and it’s just a cycle of pecking -> looking better -> pecking and I don’t know what to do. I have a few questions and am hoping my fellow chicken owners can help me out:
1. Aside from wrapping her feet with vetrx, is there anything I can do to help stop her pecking? Would chicken blinders block her from being able to see her feet?
2. Are there any products I can use to help speed up her healing?
3. Should I be worried about her laying under the shelves in the coop? I assume it’s better cause she’s not pecking at her feet and it’s warmer and dry in there but idk.
4. Are there any things I can feed her to help raise her energy? In addition to the oats, honey water, chicken feed, and grubs?
5. Is there anything else I can do to help her feet heal faster? Any other tips in general?
Other info that may help: I am not sure how old she is as she was given to us by my uncle but I assume she is at least 1. I believe she is a black Australorp. None of my other chickens (9 total) have been showing any signs of illness. Her poops are off and are more watery and yellow/green that normal (picture attached). I have also attached a picture of my hen.
I appreciate anyone who has read this far and sincerely appreciate any help and advice folks can send my way. I am desperately trying to help her and don’t know what to do anymore
