My hen has a nasty leg sore--not bumblefoot

[2chicks1coop]

A little history: this hen (buff orp) went broody the first week of June, and I let her go for it. She successfully hatched 3 chicks towards the end of June, and has been sleeping on the ground with them ever since. Two weeks ago, her and a couple other birds were showing signs of gapeworm. Treated their drinking water with fenbendazole for 3 days and it stopped the gaping. Around the same time, she started acting listless, not walking around much and often just sitting on the ground outside the coop. I don't have a scale to weigh her but she feels like she's loosing weight.

Upon examining her I noticed she had signs of scaly leg mites, so I started coating her legs with vaseline and found a large (nickel-sized) "sore" at the top of her left leg where it starts turning into feathers. I believe this sore might be source of her listlessness, as I've got to imagine her leg is in some pain:

Its not really an open sore, its kinda hard and calloused/scabbed over. After reading some other posts on here, I think its a bed/pressure sore from brooding and sleeping on the ground the past 3 months. My concern is that the "sore" is such a large lump at this point that it might not heal properly...If you look close at a couple of those pics you can see what looks like healthy tissue kind of "growing over" the sore. Idno.

I've been coating her legs with vaseline or A&D Ointment everyday for a week now and I think maybe its looking better? Tough to say. Also I gave feet an epsom salt soak two days ago, dried and coated the sores with neosporin. Bought a can of Blu-Kote today...gonna give her feet another epsom salt bath and try that after. I might treat her and another bird with some Ivermectin pour-on as well to treat the leg mites and any residual worms.

Anything else I should be trying? I'm tempted to lance it, but I'm sure that's a bad idea...

 

[2chicks1coop]

Oh, and on the same leg she has a "knobby sore" down by the toe joints. Not sure if this is another pressure sore or symptomatic of the leg mites. It's kinda dirty due to the vaseline:

And on the other foot she has in the same spot what looks like the start of a sore:

 

[2chicks1coop]

A couple better pics of the knobby sore. Ignore the purple, that's from the blu-kote, and the glistening is from the epsom salt bath I just gave her:

And one of the same spot on the other foot that looks like the start of a sore:

 

[Chicalina]

it looks like some sort of canker to me. I can't imagine how that is pressure related in that weird spot. Keep doing what you are doing. Are you vet wrapping it? I'd keep it moist and covered so it doesn't dry and scab over and become a callous or drive the infection inside.

Maybe some oral antibiotics if it doesn't resolve in a few weeks.

 

[2chicks1coop]

Are you vet wrapping it? I'd keep it moist and covered so it doesn't dry and scab over and become a callous or drive the infection inside.

I started wrapping it last night with some neosporin, gauze and vet wrap. the sore at the top of the leg at least. The ones by her toes I couldn't figure out a good way to do it.

I have some Tylan 200 injectable. I'm debating whether or not I should use it?

 

[Henrybelle]

Sounds like you’re good I’d just keep it covered after clean and add neosporin add some gauze or clean cloth and wrap with self adhering medical tape or athletic wrap

 

[Chicalina]

you can cut the vetwrap into thin strips and intertwine between the toes to cover the dressing and hold it in place. I've covered that all with duct tape before to make a little outdoor boot to keep the wound clean and dry and means the hen can free range as usual and be less stressed. Leave for 3 days between dressing changes.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

What does the bottom of her feet look like?

You can trim the feathers away from the upper leg wound so it's easier to see and treat.
Not sure what's causing those lesions on the leg and feet. It may be cancerous. If you have a vet that can clean out the feet lesions that would be good.

 

[Henrybelle]

I started wrapping it last night with some neosporin, gauze and vet wrap. the sore at the top of the leg at least. The ones by her toes I couldn't figure out a good way to do it.

I have some Tylan 200 injectable. I'm debating whether or not I should use it?

Start around the ankle work your way alternate between toes then back up to the ankle it’s awkward and they pick at it but they’ll get used to it

 

[2chicks1coop]

What does the bottom of her feet look like?

Bottom of feet look good, no bumble or red/pink spots.