Need help diagnosing a rooster with red inflamed legs

[humblehillsfarm]

Yes.
I do all exams off the roost after dark wearing a headlight....
...much easier to 'catch' them then!

So are you saying the redness could be due to a lack of scales? Could it be the scaly leg mites?

 

[aart]

So are you saying the redness could be due to a lack of scales? Could it be the scaly leg mites?

I don't know.
Wish someone with experience keeping feather leggers would come along and tell us.

 

[LaFleche]

Last time I checked, Sussex don't have feathered legs.

That's true, so rooster must be some other breed.

Is this a typical problem with feather-footed breeds? Because I have some bantam Cochins that I want to keep healthy.

Yes, unfortunately it is. I recommend to spray their legs once a month using the above mentioned Ballistol Animal. If there is already a problem with scaly mites you might want to treat for ten consecutive days spraying every other day.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I use Poultry Protector mite treatment on my D'uccles legs since mites seem too like them better then my silkies.

 

[FortCluck]

I don't know.
Wish someone with experience keeping feather leggers would come along and tell us.

I have had feathered leg chickens for 3+ years and I have never had one that has had this issue. I would say that it is mites or some type of irritation. My FL Chickens have full scales on their legs and they never have redness or loss of scales.

 

[LaFleche]

Keeping an eye on their legs and applying these preventive measures I successfully keep the legs of my French Marans healthy although I have quite a few with heavily feathered legs. My oldest Marans (BCM) is now 7 years old and still fit and laying every other day.

 

[LaFleche]

Featherlegged breeds and those with larger scales are more prone to leg mites than others with smaller scales and smooth skin.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I don't know.
Wish someone with experience keeping feather leggers would come along and tell us.

I’ve tried searching for pictures of Cochin feet online but I’ve not found much. Unfortunately I don’t have any pictures of my own Cochins feet. I have brahmas but their feathered feet are visible whereas only the toenails are typically visible on the Cochins. I saw another comment on this thread suggesting a regular mute treatment I’ve never heard of so perhaps I’ll try that I feel like I’m so knowledgeable on many aspects of chicken keeping but there are many areas I am totally unfamiliar with. I do know I will never ever get a Cochin again. As beautiful as they are, they suffer in heat, poop on their butt feathers, don’t lay super well, and even mate poorly. He can’t get past the fluff to fertilize properly.