my chicken has sore feet?

[wellies]

Hi all i live in uk and have only kept chickens for about four months. I have four hybrid chickens and i have noticed in the last few days one in particular is moulting a lot and has sore feet and the scales are lifting. Is this mites? I clean them weekly though their pen is muddy due to the weather and straw seems to disapear really quick so i have put cardboard down to help. I have sprayed oil and colloidal silver with tea tree, are there any other natural things i could do? Oh and i put citricidal in their water to help their immune system. Any advice gratefully received thanks xx

 

[kellysmall87]

Like yourself, I haven't been keeping chickens for very long and haven't had this problem. Probably the reason why I haven't had it is because I keep my coop on the patio on the hard floor. They are free range in the daytime. I think mud breed all kind of bugs, mites and faecal matter gets all mixed with it. Plus their feet are continuously wet I presume. Move them to a yard area, if you can't do that, get a couple of paving slabs from somewhere? Wash their feet in warm water and apply germoline or something? I did that to my chicks abdomen. I think the trick is to keep the feet dry and clean while they heel.

 

[wellies]

Yeah thanks they have a couple of slabs in their pen and i will see if i can get a few more so it will be better. I feel really guilty though i am trying to look after them properly. I have got quite attached to them x

 

[kellysmall87]

Don't feel guilty! You are doing the best anyone can do! I would've probably had the same problem, it's just that luckily I chose to put them on the patio and not the grass. It'll be fine

 

[wellies]

Unfortunately my tiny patio isnt an option where i live so i will get onto recycled websites and friends etc to see if i can scrounge any slabs. Does anyone know any other natural suggestions? i may try garlic in their water as it is antibacterial? At least the sun is shining briefly for the first time in a week but those ominous black clouds are heading this way, maybe i should get them some welly boots lol

 

[kellysmall87]

What about a huge quantity of gravel stones? Bark chips?

 

[Birde]

Sounds like your chickens have scaley leg mites. Put some hay on the ground give them a perch or 2. At dark put Vasalene on there feet. It will suffocate the mites. You could go spend a lot on a treatment but the vasalene works well. I find the night treatment best. If not treated the chickens can lose there nails, toes & become cripple in time.

 

[klmclain1]

Treat their legs with an oil of some kind up to the feathers daily for a few days. Vaseline works well, but other oils would work too. It also helps if you can soften the scales up before treatment - with a warm leg bath loosening up the dirt/scales/and mites with a gentle tooth-brush scrub. Apply the oil and this will smother the little buggers! They will not LOOK well for quite awhile as the damaged scales will have to be shed and there will be new ones. Can take weeks even months.

 

[Birde]

The vasalene trick I learned from a Veterinarian. You are right about the foot bath. The Vasalene can last for a couple days.

 

[Davlyn]

Feed stores sell heavy rubber matts for horses stalls. they are usually 4x6. Not cheap, but hold up very well. we live where it gets muddy, clay soil. I have just opened my electric netting gate & are now letting them really free range. Hopefull their large area will grow back well.