JUST A COUPLE ISSUES i NEED HELP WITH

[lovemylilchicks]

I have 12 chickens I love dearly. They are spoiled kids to me and I'm happy this way. The issue is a couple chickens I have walk around like they have lead feet. clomp clomp clomp. I looked at them and it seems like they have some type of growth on their feet. It honestly looks like they stepped in doo-doo and it hardened on their feet and solidified. Sounds like cement feet. I don't know what it is or what to do. the other thing is...do chickens pretty much stop laying in early fall? It's not even cold here yet. Should I put in a heat lamp?

 

[Kiki]

Can you get a few clear pictures of these feet?

 

[glassdragonfly]

Hi and

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Sounds likely that it's bumblefoot but pictures would help, and they do stop in the fall for a molt to shed and regrow new feathers. Heat lamps can be dangerous. I know a lady near me whose coop burned down from one.
Where are you located? Chances are good you live somewhere where supplemental heat does more harm than good.
You can add extra lighting through LED lights on a timer to turn on in the morning more safely but it's also good to give your girls a month or so on natural light with no eggs to molt for their health. It's an important biological function.

 

[Kiki]

I'm thinking that it sounds like they were playing in some wet mud and it dried into hard balls on their toes.

Something like this:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/hard-round-growths-on-chicks-feet.558082/

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Wild, never seen that before. No way to tell from the description given. Just gonna hafta wait for those photos.

 

[ValerieJ]

I'm thinking that it sounds like they were playing in some wet mud and it dried into hard balls on their toes.

Something like this:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/hard-round-growths-on-chicks-feet.558082/

Wow! There is always mud somewhere in my chicken run and I've never even seen particularly muddy feet. That poor chick.

 

[aart]

Yes, please @lovemylilchicks ....

Can you get a few clear pictures of these feet?

Before and After they are well washed.

I'm thinking that it sounds like they were playing in some wet mud and it dried into hard balls on their toes.
Something like this:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/hard-round-growths-on-chicks-feet.558082/

Have seen this on sand bedded chicks, but not on older birds.

 

[lovemylilchicks]

thats exactly what it looks like

 

[aart]

thats exactly what it looks like

Then....

My son and I spent an hour soaking, picking at, needle-nose-pliering, fingernail-clipping the dang balls of stuff and low and behold, underneath were lovely chicken feet and nails.