My new hen has serious foot problems. Am I doing the right thing?

[neener]

I recently adopted a new hen (about a year old), who, although she was happy being free range on a huge farm, she was somewhat neglected when it came to her health. I am presently treating her for lice with diotomaceous earth (seemed to work immediately!), but she also has terrible leg mites, and her feet look somewhat deformed (lumps at the joint area of her first toes). I scrubbed her feet with a toothbrush to try to clean the dead stuff out, and I treated them with pure lanolin a week or so ago, but she just started limping and holding her left leg up all the time. So today I actually got in and dug out the lifted scales on her toes and treated them with lanolin again. I also cut her toenails which looked awful to walk on. What else can I do? There is no "black plug" in these deformities which I am told you see when it is bumblefoot, no sign of any skin breakdown anywhere. It just looks really dry, and deformed in areas. I feel terrible for her as she is obviously not comfortable. She is eating and drinking well though, as far as I can tell. If anyone has any advice for me, please help. I just don't know where to go from here. I have pictures but I don't know how to post them here. Can anyone tell me how to do that? Thank you for your time, Kristina.

 

[chicknmania]

it's a common problem. If you search scaly leg mites on here you'll see. Lots of people use petroleum jelly to coat the legs, you have to do it once or twice a day anyway, and, treat her roosting area or any area she stays in, if she is not free range, for mites. The petroleum jelly worked for us. If it doesn't for you, you can get a type of insecticide, (and here I'll have to beg off on poor memory) you stand them in it and it will kill the mites. You can get that stuff from the chicken doctor at www.firststatevetsupply.com. But, of course, petroleum jelly is a less expensive option, I would try that first.

 

[neener]

So does the leg mite also cause the deformity? The joint area is swollen like a lump on the first toe of each foot, and in between the toes on the left foot also looks swollen.

 

[M@M@2four]

Hello...My very first pair of buff orpingtons had this(they came with it). It's Scaly leg mites. The mights burrow under the skin and cause pain and irritation to the chicken...can cause them to limp(mine did). I treated them by lathering the entire leg with vasoline--this smothers the mite...they'll be greasy, but it will wear off and they'll be much happier. The lifted scales and lumos will fall off on their own once their gone...chunks of dead skin. I wouldn't mess with the scales until they are starting to fall off as the skin could still be tender and cause them to become more irritated and sore. And then at the very same time, I dust them with Sevin dust(yes, spelled that way). I but it in powder form--you can buy it right at walmart in the lawn adn garden section for under $5. Dust them really good, but try not to get it in their eyes and make sure you dust them well under the wings as this is where they like to hang out. I vaseline their legs every three days and dust them once a week(usually just 2x does the trick). God luck!

**Editing to add that she will probably stop limping in a week or so...mine limped too and held her foot up...it's just painful!

** Just keep them in a safe place with food and water while you're treating them as it's harder for them to get to food if they are limping...and one more thing, you'll probably need to dust your whole flock as mites can spread quickly...**

 

[chicknmania]

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I'm not sure, but I would think so if she is really bad. I would start treating that way and see if it helps.