HELP! Lame Chicken - sore feet?

[antheat]

I took a look at the thread, and it honestly doesn't look like that at all. It looks like she was stomped on by an elephant (bruising), I'll post more pics tomorrow - and ask the vet if I can get some DMSO with penicillin or some injectable penicillin, although how to inject a chicken is something I'm really nervous about!

thanks again

Anthea

 

[Pinenot]

Could it be frostbite? It would look like bruising with swelling. If you can't get an answer ask the online chicken Dr. to help you. www.featherfanciers.com It is just another option to get help.

 

[Pine Grove]

I'll say bumblefoot, gout usually appears in older birds, and birds generally dont show any pain with gout..looks to me like she's been hopping from the roost and hitting hard litter/ground causing the bruising and swelling..

 

[antheat]

Pine,

we don't have a roost - they are currently in the garage. I covered the concrete floor with a thick layer of cardboard and then piled about 4 - 6 inches of pine shavings on it.

BUT, she may have gotten stepped on during transport as she was in a cage with others - not optimal but I'm wondering if this is where the problem started. Its just weird its on the TOP of her feet, not underneath.

Frostbite could honestly be an option as we had some really cold weather (low 20's) in Oklahoma. I ran heat lamps, BUT they are in a huge garage in front of the door so even though I did our best to keep them warm, using extra cardboard and heating lamps, it could be that it got frostbite.

So, how do I treat frostbite??

Thanks so much for helping a newbie. I tried to do all the research I could before accepting the chickens, got out poultry books from the library and coop design books (we are building the coop this weekend) and a small poultry medical aid kit.

Steep learning curve.

I upset because an animal suffering because of my ignorance.

Thanks again everyone, I'll post pics tomorrow.

Anthea

 

[pips&peeps]

Well my cyberspace buddies I must apologize for not typing "in my opinion" this is gout. All I could see in the pictures was swollen feet. I was unable to see any sores on the foot pads and no bruising.

I witnessed chickens not more than three months ago with gout. They were all layers and ranged in age from around 20 weeks to maybe three years of age. The person who had the gout was getting a "special" mix for the chickens through a cooperative supply and some friends. I believe the mix turned out to be pig chow once it was analyzed. The "friends" were trying to make a buck off my friend and save money by feeding the pig food to the chickens also.

As soon as she got the birds back on regular Layena the problem went away. Alot of the birds were gimpy and laid around alot and had swollen ankles and feet.

So, if you can clean your birds feet and determine if there is actually some infection or open wounds then maybe you have infection/bumblefoot. If not, then I would consider gout.

Jean

PS There is also a picture of a rooster on Peter Browns, Doc I need help forum, that has frostbite on his legs.

 

[dlhunicorn]

I witnessed chickens not more than three months ago with gout. They were all layers and ranged in age from around 20 weeks to maybe three years of age.

I too have read pathology reports of younger age birds that had "gout" come on quickly and resulted in the death of the bird... (some buzzard populations have almost been wiped out in a couple places from it being caused by NSAID in the livestock they were feeding on)

However, this member has only had the birds a couple weeks and I surmise that if the former owner of them had kept them on a wired floor cage with insufficent shavings or such (this happens quite often) that that would be sufficient bruising perhaps to cause tissue damage. Severe bruising is enough to initiate staph when other environmental conditions are right.... with cage birds it also happens when they have the wrong size perching sticks.​

 

[Pine Grove]

Bruising is the #1 cause of bumblefoot/staph. Thats why heavy breeds are more prone to it than lighter breeds..Bantams (unless they have crooked toes) very rarely develop bumblefoot.
From actual birds I have seen with bumblefoot/gout, To me It resembles bumblefoot more so.

 

[sammi]

JMHO...but I would treat for staph, keep legs clean..
possibly use betadine tea (watered down solution of betadine or iodine) to wash them with.

 

[antheat]

Last night when I got home I got Brownie out the crate, soaked her in epsom salts for a while and there is a terrible smell from her feet putrefying. After soaking her feet for a while, I gently brushed her feet with a toothbrush and pouring hydrogen peroxide over them. Between her toes fizzled, the brown areas. Then I squirted Iodine on her feet with a syringe which I have no doubt hurt as she complained a bit. I had some cephalexin so since I'm desperate, I figured what the hell and mixed up a 250mg capsule in water and left her that to drink.

Should I end her suffering now, or keep trying? She's still alert and peeping and cheeping at me, but I need to learn the line between when its okay to keep on fighting, and when the kindest thing is to put her down.

And then I need to know the best way to put her down.

New pics in the albumn

thanks

Anthea

 

[dlhunicorn]

ok,,, edited that to say I found the new pics and I do see the haemorraging that you are mentioning... in the first link from the MERCK veterinary manual I gave you on the page on staph:
".... Gangrenous dermatitis is seen in chickens that are immunosuppressed and is a combination of S aureus and Clostridium septicum . Affected areas are usually dark (hemorrhagic) and crepitant..."

this does seem to indicate then a bacterial infection rather than gout.... look your bird over for any dark areas (haemorrage) underneath the wings or on the breast ...