Question/Concern about this chicken's feet

[PeckinChickens]

Hi folks, this is my first post. Not sure what's going on with Bertha's feet. She's pushing four years old is waddling around.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

@Eggcessive @coach723

Welcome To BYC

I see some scabs on the top of her feet and on one back toe. Can't tell if there is material stuck in the crease of her foot.

Since both feet are involved. Hard to know. I thought Gout, but then maybe changed my mind. MS comes to mind as well, but not quite.

How old is this hen?
How long have you had her?
What do you feed, including treats?
What does the front of the other foot look like?

 

[coach723]

My first thought was gout also. There may be some scabs, so bumblefoot may also be an issue, but I can't really tell. To start I would give the feet a good soaking in a warm epsom salts bath, or warm water mixed with apple cider vinegar (this if often recommended for gout) and clean off the feet well including in the creases, to see if it's just dirty or if there are any bumblefoot lesions. The following is from Poultry Podiatry:
Diagnose & Treat Articular Gout

• Symptoms: Swelling, warmth & bulges on toes and one or both feet, and possibly on comb or wattles. Shifting weight from one leg to the other. Bird might crouch or sit, and may be depressed and lose weight.
  • Causes: Urate deposits (which look like ricotta cheese inside) in tissues may be caused by dehydration, Vitamin A deficiency, too much baking soda, kidney damage, blockage in ureter, Mycotoxins from mold in feed, Infectious Bronchitis, excess Vitamin D or calcium in proportion to phosphorus, excessive salt (such as from feed with high amount of fish meal), or too much protein.in diet. Young chicks may also develop it from extended stay at hatchery or overheating.
  • Note: Some Gout and Bumblefoot symptoms can be similar. Review further info and photos to help ensure you make a correct diagnosis of your bird's problem.
• Prevention: Keep clean, fresh water available at all times. Do not feed excessive protein (especially <30%), such as in some game bird feeds. Avoid feeding Layer Feed to young hens not yet laying or to roosters, if possible.
• Treatment: Mix in a little apple cider vinegar into drinking water 1-3 days per week. Provide electrolytes and A, D3, K and B vitamins. Lower protein amount in diet. Soak affected joints in very warm water with apple cider vinegar or Epsom salts mixed in. Feed cut up cherries (unsweetened).

Below is another picture of a bird with gout:

And this from PoultryDVM:
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/gout

 

[Eggcessive]

I would guess that it is gout since the toes are also thick. It is sometimes hard ro tell gout from Mycoplasma Synovitis (MS) or viral tenosynovitis. Some people use sour cherry extract orally in food or water to help with pain. What do you feed your birds?

 

[PeckinChickens]

@Eggcessive @coach723

Welcome To BYC

I see some scabs on the top of her feet and on one back toe. Can't tell if there is material stuck in the crease of her foot.

Since both feet are involved. Hard to know. I thought Gout, but then maybe changed my mind. MS comes to mind as well, but not quite.

How old is this hen?
How long have you had her?
What do you feed, including treats?
What does the front of the other foot look like?

• This hen is about 3.5 years old
• We bought her from a feed store as a pullet at 2 mos old
• We feed our chickens 16% layer feed from Tractor Supply
• For treats they get a generic scratch or meal worms or kitchen scraps
• I'll have to get another picture later.

 

[PeckinChickens]

@Eggcessive @coach723

Welcome To BYC

I see some scabs on the top of her feet and on one back toe. Can't tell if there is material stuck in the crease of her foot.

Since both feet are involved. Hard to know. I thought Gout, but then maybe changed my mind. MS comes to mind as well, but not quite.

How old is this hen?
How long have you had her?
What do you feed, including treats?
What does the front of the other foot look like?

Is MS infectious? All 8 of our other hens are just fine.

 

[PeckinChickens]

My first thought was gout also. There may be some scabs, so bumblefoot may also be an issue, but I can't really tell. To start I would give the feet a good soaking in a warm epsom salts bath, or warm water mixed with apple cider vinegar (this if often recommended for gout) and clean off the feet well including in the creases, to see if it's just dirty or if there are any bumblefoot lesions. The following is from Poultry Podiatry:
Diagnose & Treat Articular Gout

• Symptoms: Swelling, warmth & bulges on toes and one or both feet, and possibly on comb or wattles. Shifting weight from one leg to the other. Bird might crouch or sit, and may be depressed and lose weight.
  • Causes: Urate deposits (which look like ricotta cheese inside) in tissues may be caused by dehydration, Vitamin A deficiency, too much baking soda, kidney damage, blockage in ureter, Mycotoxins from mold in feed, Infectious Bronchitis, excess Vitamin D or calcium in proportion to phosphorus, excessive salt (such as from feed with high amount of fish meal), or too much protein.in diet. Young chicks may also develop it from extended stay at hatchery or overheating.
  • Note: Some Gout and Bumblefoot symptoms can be similar. Review further info and photos to help ensure you make a correct diagnosis of your bird's problem.
• Prevention: Keep clean, fresh water available at all times. Do not feed excessive protein (especially <30%), such as in some game bird feeds. Avoid feeding Layer Feed to young hens not yet laying or to roosters, if possible.
• Treatment: Mix in a little apple cider vinegar into drinking water 1-3 days per week. Provide electrolytes and A, D3, K and B vitamins. Lower protein amount in diet. Soak affected joints in very warm water with apple cider vinegar or Epsom salts mixed in. Feed cut up cherries (unsweetened).

Below is another picture of a bird with gout:
View attachment 2120776
And this from PoultryDVM:
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/gout

We'll have to wash her feet off and give them a good soak. We can upload more pictures then.