Rooster with strange heel injury

[Allieharmon]

Been treating my rooster for severe mites but today found this injury that may have been the biggest problem all along. It is on the front side of what I would call the knee but is actually his heel. Large abscess that is healing over on both legs. I have never seen this before and am baffled. He is improving and it is obviously scabbing over, but what has caused this?? Injury is quarter sized

 

[RevlisRemmah]

Is it in a location that can rub on the roost when he is roosting at night?

 

[Allieharmon]

Is it in a location that can rub on the roost when he is roosting at night?

No, it is in the crease of his heel so it is up under him when he roosts.

 

[cinjoel]

OMG my rooster has almost the same looking injury. We had no idea but two days ago decided to remove his overgrown spurs thinking maybe they were poking him. The removal(twisting until they outer spur came off) was easy but they next day is when we took a closer look and saw this red flesh and now he won’t walk. He is alert, drinking and eating just not walking. I wonder how Ling this will take to heal on its own. Tonight I followed what one commenter on my post here said and put antiseptic wash (forgot the antibiotic ointment) and slathered his legs with Vaseline for the mild case of SLM. I have like a horrible chicken mom