Is this where to ask a health question?

[Laura S. Central Fla.]

Hello,
I'm a little lost! My 8 mo old Rhode Island Red has a swelling with three lumps on one side of her front toe (about the diameter of a "super meal worm") and it's showing a tiny blood spot on one lump.
Does she have a parasite? Our flock of 8 birds has a very large coop with a run and they're pastured on an acre for 3 hours each day. We're in Florida - lots of rain and heat lately.
Thank you to anyone who might know what this is,
Laura

 

[shober]

Sounds like it could be bumblefoot. Especially with the black scab. Look it up in the diseases section! There is a step by step surgery to remove it too. Good Luck!

 

[Sally Monella]

Hello
I also live in central Fla and I have seen something similar on several of my friends chickens. I believe it is bot flies. They lay eggs on the chickens legs, head and combs and when the eggs hatch there is a little larve that lives in the skin. It can't kill the chicken unless the wounds get infected. Usually they heal on their own, on my GFs birds we put a thick layer of vaseline over the wounds and it smothered the larve. It is more common in horses so if you can't find any definitive answers about them on this site you might want to try a horse website. I wish you the best of luck. Oh maybe if you were to worm the chickens it might kill the critters, not 100% on that but it prob wouldn't hurt, especially with all the parasites we have in this moist area.
Keep us posted!