Help!!! - Worn Foot Pads, Thorns, and Contact Cement!

[Mary Poopins]

Hello All,

I have several chickens with raw foot pads.
They aren’t swollen.
No one is limping or showing any signs of pain, tenderness yes, but no pain.
It looks like they have worn the pads away faster then they have been able to build up a callus or whatever it’s called in chicken-land.
Two have little scabs on their feet, again no swelling.
I have looked up bumble foot and I don’t think that this is the problem, although it could be.
The pads of their feet are very soft, I am jealous!!!
We have goathead thorns (Tribulus terrestris) everywhere in my back forty.
The chickens seem to like to eat them, I also see them picking the thorns out of their feet when they step on them. I know how much these hurt and I am sure they don’t like it either.
Should I use some contact cement and glue some treads to their feet?
I am joking of course!!!
However I did a search and yes, chicken shoes do exist!!!!

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
~Mary

 

[purpletree23]

What so you mean by raw? Can you post a picture? My hens feet are very soft. It's funny but I never thought about that until now.

Don't worry about those little scabs. Every little black spot isn't bumblefoot. It's only bumblefoot when there is swelling, redness and most likely limping. I've read a lot on this forum lately that people are trying to dig out bumblefoot when there isn't an infection present. It's just a little normal scab. Heck if we didn't wear shoes and ran around in the back 40 we would have scabs too.