Leg injury?

[Faithjo]

I noticed this chicken (olive egger I think) had one leg swollen, not really favoring it or anything but I thought it looked weird. I finally caught her and it looks like this. The piece that I have circled in the last photo seems to be trying to come off and is bleeding some. I put petroleum jelly on her foot. it doesn’t seem to really hurt her. I haven’t had her for very long so I don’t know when it started. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I noticed this chicken (olive egger I think) had one leg swollen, not really favoring it or anything but I thought it looked weird. I finally caught her and it looks like this. The piece that I have circled in the last photo seems to be trying to come off and is bleeding some. I put petroleum jelly on her foot. it doesn’t seem to really hurt her. I haven’t had her for very long so I don’t know when it started. Thanks in advance for any help.

This is interesting.

Do you know if she had a band on her leg?

This is interesting, to me it looks like she's got a couple/few things going on.
I do wonder if she had a band on or if something was wrapped around the foot, a hair/string, etc.

Feather cysts come to mind along with some type of injury. The other foot from what I can see looks o.k., so I don't think this is Scaly Leg Mites.

If she were mine, I'd give a daily soak in a warm epsom salts bath. Dry well, then apply triple antibiotic ointment. Those scabs/crusts likely will fall off and bleed some. There may be some ingrown feathers under the scabbing as well, hard to know until some of that starts to heal and/or slough off.

Once they do, see if you find that there's something wrapped/embedded in the foot close to where I've drawn the red line below.

 

[Faithjo]

This is interesting.

Do you know if she had a band on her leg?

This is interesting, to me it looks like she's got a couple/few things going on.
I do wonder if she had a band on or if something was wrapped around the foot, a hair/string, etc.

Feather cysts come to mind along with some type of injury. The other foot from what I can see looks o.k., so I don't think this is Scaly Leg Mites.

If she were mine, I'd give a daily soak in a warm epsom salts bath. Dry well, then apply triple antibiotic ointment. Those scabs/crusts likely will fall off and bleed some. There may be some ingrown feathers under the scabbing as well, hard to know until some of that starts to heal and/or slough off.

Once they do, see if you find that there's something wrapped/embedded in the foot close to where I've drawn the red line below.

View attachment 4016429

Thanks!! I never considered it would be something like that. As far as I know nothing was on her, she was raised by people I know. But she could have gotten something wrapped around her foot without them knowing. Thanks for the advice. I know that it is already trying to come off in some places so a soak as you suggested should make it turn loose.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thanks!! I never considered it would be something like that. As far as I know nothing was on her, she was raised by people I know. But she could have gotten something wrapped around her foot without them knowing. Thanks for the advice. I know that it is already trying to come off in some places so a soak as you suggested should make it turn loose.

Sometimes it can be just a short piece of string from a feed bad, even a feather - seen that one time in a thread, a feather footed bird somehow had a feather that wrapped around the leg and became embedded. Seen human hair get wrapped around a little chick's leg. All these things of course are accidental and can be very hard to see, so I don't mean to imply that if something is wrapped around her leg it was intentional.

Let us know how she's doing. If nothing else, hopefully the soaks and daily care will promote healing, and she'll recover quickly. I'd allow the scabs to fall off naturally, if possible, while it's tempting to pry or pick them off, I've found that it's usually best for them to come loose on their own.

 

[Faithjo]

Sometimes it can be just a short piece of string from a feed bad, even a feather - seen that one time in a thread, a feather footed bird somehow had a feather that wrapped around the leg and became embedded. Seen human hair get wrapped around a little chick's leg. All these things of course are accidental and can be very hard to see, so I don't mean to imply that if something is wrapped around her leg it was intentional.

Let us know how she's doing. If nothing else, hopefully the soaks and daily care will promote healing, and she'll recover quickly. I'd allow the scabs to fall off naturally, if possible, while it's tempting to pry or pick them off, I've found that it's usually best for them to come loose on their own.

I know some people who put bands on their chickens legs to tie them in place so they can’t wander off. That’s common around here really, I didn’t want you to think that was the case. I really appreciate the help!! It is totally fine, I understand. No offense taken, I checked it out and soaked it for a while. I added petroleum again for now since I’m not sure I have antibiotic cream enough for it now. I will try and get that next time I am at the store though. Thanks again, I really appreciate you taking time out of your day to help!!

 

[Squawkers]

I know some people who put bands on their chickens legs to tie them in place so they can’t wander off.

Not trying to change the subject, but that’s a thing?? I’ve never heard of that.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I know some people who put bands on their chickens legs to tie them in place so they can’t wander off. That’s common around here really, I didn’t want you to think that was the case. I really appreciate the help!! It is totally fine, I understand. No offense taken, I checked it out and soaked it for a while. I added petroleum again for now since I’m not sure I have antibiotic cream enough for it now. I will try and get that next time I am at the store though. Thanks again, I really appreciate you taking time out of your day to help!!

Oh no, I wasn't thinking that.

I do keep some tie outs for extra roosters but rarely use them anymore. With tie outs, the band that goes on the leg/foot is usually a wide leather strip/band and then the tie attached to the anchor in the ground is braided rope or a stretchy rubber material. The majority of people I know that use tie outs keep Gamefowl, this allows them to get out of their pens for a while, have access to hens that come and flirt with them and to keep the roosters from having a royal battle. If mine get loose, it's a nightmare.

 

[Faithjo]

Oh no, I wasn't thinking that.

I do keep some tie outs for extra roosters but rarely use them anymore. With tie outs, the band that goes on the leg/foot is usually a wide leather strip/band and then the tie attached to the anchor in the ground is braided rope or a stretchy rubber material. The majority of people I know that use tie outs keep Gamefowl, this allows them to get out of their pens for a while, have access to hens that come and flirt with them and to keep the roosters from having a royal battle. If mine get loose, it's a nightmare.

Yes!! That is what I’m talking about. From what I’ve saw they are the same here, too wide to dig in! I didn’t know if it was a thing everywhere. It’s not used for hens around here that I’ve saw, only roosters. I just wanted to clarify. I’ve never used them myself, but I only have one rooster and he isn’t a game.

 

[Faithjo]

Not trying to change the subject, but that’s a thing?? I’ve never heard of that.

Yes, it is used for game roosters to keep them from fighting as Wyorp Rock said. If they get together they can kill one another, the roosters can be very aggressive toward each other. I might not have done a good job of explaining what it actually is haha

 

[Squawkers]

Is is safe for them? I currently can’t let my hens free range and they are miserable. Is it ok to do that for my hens? Just to allow them to eat some grass and bugs? They would be inside a fenced in area so they would be safe from loose dogs. (I can just keep them in that area because they fit through the fence panels)