One hen suddenly has pale, pale almost pink legs!!

[tnchickenut]

I can't seem to figure this one out. Help.

One of my hens has litterally one day to the next got these (for lack of a better way of decribing it) legs that look like dead human skin. You can't see her scales, if there is any color at all it is a slight pink... like someone's skin after cutting off circulation.

If you have ever seen a butchered bird after they take the "socks" off their feet... then you will know what I'm talking about.

She seems fine. Eatting, running about... feathers look good, eyes are clear. She just has these feet that look, not swolen, but tender and sore (she holds one up at a time when she stands still)


Anyone?

Oh, her legs are normally yellow... she is a Delaware.

 

[tnchickenut]

Oh, also... she does get quality layer feed and suppliments of A,D,E in her water. Just did some DE two days ago... could that be related?

 

[tnchickenut]

Done some more research... it can't be a lack of vitamin A ... they get it as a suppliment... always. So that leaves coccidiosis..... BUT she doesn't have any other symptoms for it. Should I go ahead and treat? Would it hurt?

 

[comedianchick]

could it be a mild stage frost bite ? only if the weatehr is harsh where you live

 

[tnchickenut]

Well, it is harsh for us. Like right now... it was decent all day and now it is supposed to dip down into the low 20's. That is extreme for us. (I'm in southeast TN)
I went back out and studied her a bit more and noticed that she has it worse... but there are a couple others who are going pale. It may be frost bite. I have a heat lamp on them (the best I can the way the coop is set up). I didn't quarentine, though, since it's so cold and there are 4 now that I noticed going pale... it would have made it hard on the whole flock to not have that heat source.

Is there any reason not to try Oxytet (antibiotic)? I have some that should still be good from awhile back ago.

 

[comedianchick]

try to keep them warm and coat there feet in vasaline .frostbite isnt all about cold aparently humidity causes it to so make sure there is ventilation.you also dont want to give them antibiotic unless you know whats wrong is weakens there immune systems by killing off god bacteria and they could become resistant to it in the future. and in the first post where you say she is holding up her leg thats what my chickens do if they are cold or their leg hurts

good luck

 

[aveca]

Ya know stacy, Chickens were all decendants of Jungle fowl from the south pacific so this weather is really hard on all of them hopefully we are almost out of this. Some chiken breeds are a little more cold hardy than others. . in the jungles they could develop those big red comb to attract a mate, that doesnt last 3 seconds in below zero weather.

It does sound like a mild frostbite...20 degree weather and wind added can turn to 1 degree below zero... My vet came out to float horse teeth, she said it is everywhere , almost every farm is either heating and even then they are having problems the minute they let the birds out for exercise. She told me some cases are really bad She has been on the run taking care of it everywhere. Sadly lots of badly frostbitten birds up here.

A heat lamp for the pen that bird is in will bring the temp up in that room enough to ward off any more. pad up openings and hope this ends pretty soon..

Watch for darkening of the skin in spots, first it gets red, then white then eventually some black spots .unfortunatly if it is frostbite , this bird will always be sensitive every year when it gets cold and the areas that were affected will get red- swollen. Some need a little more care than others.

My mother has mutt chickens , doesnt heat , just gives food , water and out of the wind shelter and she has never had a problem. cant figure it out. think its the kinds she has.

 

[tnchickenut]

I think you all are right about it being frostbite. It poured buckets today and that didn't help because then they are wet and when the sun went down it immediately got to freezing temps.
Their coop itself is very well ventilated and dry, but their run is just the opposite. Lynn, you know my plans. I'm not planning on keeping them there much longer. That run needs a total overhaul.

I'm fixing to bear the cold and check on them. I have had a heat lamp on them everytime the temperture dropped below "normal" for the area. Poor things. Can you believe the sebrights are weathering this the best!?! Short comb or not, you'd think the little boogers couldn't take it... the are in a open air/aviary type coop with a converted dog house as shelter.

I'm going out. If I'm not back in 10 minutes, call 911. (just kidding)

 

[tnchickenut]

Ok. I checked on them. I think frostbite is definately it. I even started getting signs of frostbite in that 20 minutes. I put hay in the cracks and trashbags over the majority of their "windows". When I first got out there... their feathers were literally getting blown around by the cold wind. To make the cold snap even worse... there is a wind advisory until later tomarrow. I may keep them in tomarrow.

Thanks for all your help. My coop was designed and built for hot Tennessee summers. The Dels always have weathered winter very well, but this one is taking it's toll. I already had the light but I guess that wasn't enough. Thanks again. I'll update again later.

 

[seminolewind]

Poor things. I don't know how your roosts are, but if the chickens spread out roosting, maybe you could block some of the perches so they have to sleep closer together, or block them all and make them sleep in some deep shavings, better yet, straw because straw will heat up and retain the heat.
Or wrap a heated blanket around the perch, or lay a heated blanket on the floor, put shavings on top of it, take the perches away, and you'll be good to go. I'm not joking around. I feel really bad for any animal in the cold.