Hen ripped off scales on foot

[Jemma Rider]

I went out yesterday morning and found Freya my pretty Easter Egger laying and egg with a bloody foot. I figured she cut herself free ranging but after she finished laying i grabbed her and found that the scales on top of her foot had been ripped off. I treated it like it was just a cut (i didn't know what else to do), and applied antibiotic ointment without pain meds and wrapped it like i would bumblefoot except further up the leg.
This morning i went out and thought i saw limping. This freaked me out because I've never had a limping chicken or any serious injuries, i quickly unwrapped her foot and checked it out. I don't really see anything super wrong, it looks like a bad cut but I'm worried it could be infected. I've suspected her of scaly leg mites before and soaked the flocks legs in vegetable oil every day for two weeks, when nothing changed i asked around and i was told not to worry too much. I've always been careful with her though.
i just wrapped her foot up again and she's not limping nearly as bad, i actually think i may have wrapped her too tight in an effort to keep bacteria out the first time. I feel bad if i did but I'm still concerned.
I am leaving for vacation tomorrow morning and won't be back for about a week, my family's normal house sitter can't change the bandage for me. I have no control over our vacation I've already asked if i could stay home but i can't, i don't know what to do the only other woman who could come and help is coming on vacation with us. I just don't know, here are some pictures.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I personally would either blue kote it or leave it alone and go on my vacation.

If indeed you did still have scaly leg mites... well your treatment should have worked but the scales won't change instantly... but Ivermectin is effective against them IF need be.

You bird has an immune system that should fight off any possible infection. If other birds aren't pecking at it and it doesn't seem like an easy place for pecking to me.. just let heal. Accidents happen, just like in children.

To me, *sometimes* a bandage can just hold an infection in, keep a wound moist instead of letting it scab over. It doesn't currently look infected. Maybe have your sitter give yogurt or some other form of probiotics to support the birds own immunity.

As you have discovered, sometimes bandaging might cause more of an issue than it resolves... like with circulation and such... better safe than sorry. Let the birds immune system work it out and heal... as it was created to do!

Great job, catching it and looking out for her! Hope she recovers quickly and that you are able to relax and have a good time on vacation with your family.

 

[Jemma Rider]

I personally would either blue kote it or leave it alone and go on my vacation.

If indeed you did still have scaly leg mites... well your treatment should have worked but the scales won't change instantly... but Ivermectin is effective against them IF need be.

You bird has an immune system that should fight off any possible infection. If other birds aren't pecking at it and it doesn't seem like an easy place for pecking to me.. just let heal. Accidents happen, just like in children.

To me, *sometimes* a bandage can just hold an infection in, keep a wound moist instead of letting it scab over. It doesn't currently look infected. Maybe have your sitter give yogurt or some other form of probiotics to support the birds own immunity.

As you have discovered, sometimes bandaging might cause more of an issue than it resolves... like with circulation and such... better safe than sorry. Let the birds immune system work it out and heal... as it was created to do!

Great job, catching it and looking out for her! Hope she recovers quickly and that you are able to relax and have a good time on vacation with your family.

Thank you,
I never relax anyway but especially now with a hurt chicken. I think i might bandage it loosely because i have one hen who will definitely pick (because she's a lovable monster). So it'll be okay if i leave her alone on vacation? I think I'm gonna treat everybody for leg mites again when i get back just to be safe, her legs look pretty gross anyways, always have.
Would probiotics in their water help?
thank you very much.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Would probiotics in their water help?

It can't hurt as long as it isn't electrolytes that mixed incorrectly and too strong since those CAN be overdosed.

 

[RodNTN]

X2 @EggSighted4Life. I personally wouldn't bandage it, I would put some blue kote on, though.
Chickens have strong immune systems, and are experts at fighting off infections

 

[kwhites634]

I went out yesterday morning and found Freya my pretty Easter Egger laying and egg with a bloody foot. I figured she cut herself free ranging but after she finished laying i grabbed her and found that the scales on top of her foot had been ripped off. I treated it like it was just a cut (i didn't know what else to do), and applied antibiotic ointment without pain meds and wrapped it like i would bumblefoot except further up the leg.
This morning i went out and thought i saw limping. This freaked me out because I've never had a limping chicken or any serious injuries, i quickly unwrapped her foot and checked it out. I don't really see anything super wrong, it looks like a bad cut but I'm worried it could be infected. I've suspected her of scaly leg mites before and soaked the flocks legs in vegetable oil every day for two weeks, when nothing changed i asked around and i was told not to worry too much. I've always been careful with her though.
i just wrapped her foot up again and she's not limping nearly as bad, i actually think i may have wrapped her too tight in an effort to keep bacteria out the first time. I feel bad if i did but I'm still concerned.
I am leaving for vacation tomorrow morning and won't be back for about a week, my family's normal house sitter can't change the bandage for me. I have no control over our vacation I've already asked if i could stay home but i can't, i don't know what to do the only other woman who could come and help is coming on vacation with us. I just don't know, here are some pictures. View attachment 1433050 View attachment 1433049View attachment 1433048 View attachment 1433047 View attachment 1433046 View attachment 1433044 View attachment 1433046

Hello, neighbor, kinda sorta
If I were to guess, I'd say she got the foot tangled in something, maybe old fence wire, and tore it up trying to free herself.

 

[kwhites634]

Thank you,
I never relax anyway but especially now with a hurt chicken. I think i might bandage it loosely because i have one hen who will definitely pick (because she's a lovable monster). So it'll be okay if i leave her alone on vacation? I think I'm gonna treat everybody for leg mites again when i get back just to be safe, her legs look pretty gross anyways, always have.
Would probiotics in their water help?
thank you very much.

5 will get you 10 that any loose bandage you put on will be off before you get to your vacation destination.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

5 will get you 10 that any loose bandage you put on will be off before you get to your vacation destination.

I was thinking about this as I watched my hens under some bushes just now...
The bandage poses more danger and risk to the hen I think, since she will not be confined. It can get caught on something and keep her there or get wet and so on... Maybe even consumed and cause blocked crop or... I just honestly wouldn't do it. Experience tells me anything that can happen will and if I thought I better head my own warning.

She will be fine, she quit bleeding and her body is working.

 

[Jemma Rider]

I was thinking about this as I watched my hens under some bushes just now...
The bandage poses more danger and risk to the hen I think, since she will not be confined. It can get caught on something and keep her there or get wet and so on... Maybe even consumed and cause blocked crop or... I just honestly wouldn't do it. Experience tells me anything that can happen will and if I thought I better head my own warning.

She will be fine, she quit bleeding and her body is working.

Thanks, and yeah i know it can be worse if nobodies around. I plan to keep it wrapped until tonight to give it the scab a chance to harden today and overnight before she's alone.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would not bandage her leg. She may end up eating it accidentally if it comes off. Just put a little betadine or neosporin on it. Then I would grease up her legs well and rub into the scales, either crisco shortening, vaseline, castor oil, or vegetable oil. That will last until next week, when you can treat her leg mites again. Crisco and castor oil will only need to be used once a week or less because they kling well. Her legs will become dirty from the grease, but that is a good thing to get rid of the mites.