Roosters feet red and swollen

[pinksapphire]

I have a rooster that every year around late spring/early summer his legs go red and a bit swollen.


Pretty sure it is not scaly leg mite, all of my 12 hens that roost with him have very healthy legs and it happens around the same time every year and his legs are fine during the winter.


It coincides with common hogweed coming up in our paddock so I think it could be a reaction to that?

Anyone seen anything like this and how to treat? I am considering rehoming him to somewhere without hogweed.

 

[KtheChickenGal]

I have a rooster that every year around late spring/early summer his legs go red and a bit swollen.


Pretty sure it is not scaly leg mite, all of my 12 hens that roost with him have very healthy legs and it happens around the same time every year and his legs are fine during the winter.


It coincides with common hogweed coming up in our paddock so I think it could be a reaction to that?

Anyone seen anything like this and how to treat? I am considering rehoming him to somewhere without hogweed.

Poor guy. Can he still walk? Is he isolated? Is he getting bullied because of his legs?

 

[Cheekychook12]

I have a rooster that every year around late spring/early summer his legs go red and a bit swollen.


Pretty sure it is not scaly leg mite, all of my 12 hens that roost with him have very healthy legs and it happens around the same time every year and his legs are fine during the winter.


It coincides with common hogweed coming up in our paddock so I think it could be a reaction to that?

Anyone seen anything like this and how to treat? I am considering rehoming him to somewhere without hogweed.

I heard that rooster legs can flush seasonally due to hormones but I could be wrong, someone else should hopefully know

 

[Cheekychook12]

I have a rooster that every year around late spring/early summer his legs go red and a bit swollen.


Pretty sure it is not scaly leg mite, all of my 12 hens that roost with him have very healthy legs and it happens around the same time every year and his legs are fine during the winter.


It coincides with common hogweed coming up in our paddock so I think it could be a reaction to that?

Anyone seen anything like this and how to treat? I am considering rehoming him to somewhere without hogweed.

Also if it was a reaction to hogweed wouldn’t the hens have the same reaction?
It wouldn’t do any harm to treat them for mites in case

 

[Eggcessive]

Actually he does have scaly leg mites evidenced by the lifting of the scales. The redden skin may be normal hormone reaction in spring. Is he limping any? Hard to tell a lot about swelling because of the scales and feathers. If toes look lumpy and swollen, that can be gout. If the ankles seem swollen, that can be from mycoplasma or bacterial arthritis. I would place him in some warm soapy or Epsom salts water to soak his legs for 15 minutes daily or as often as possible. Dry them well and apply a thick ointment or oil daily or at least 3 days a week for several weeks. Vicks salve, castor oil, mineral oil, vaseline, Nustock cream which has sulfur, etc.

 

[pinksapphire]

Poor guy. Can he still walk? Is he isolated? Is he getting bullied because of his legs?

No he is fine and is showing no signs of pain, he is the top of the flock and shows no reluctance to stand on his feet, I have secured him a new home where they do not have hogweed in his enclosure.

 

[pinksapphire]

Also if it was a reaction to hogweed wouldn’t the hens have the same reaction?
It wouldn’t do any harm to treat them for mites in case

It seems that some animals can be sensitive to certain plants but not all. A few years ago I had a gosling the was sensitive to hogweed but none of my other goslings have had any issues

 

[KtheChickenGal]

No he is fine and is showing no signs of pain, he is the top of the flock and shows no reluctance to stand on his feet, I have secured him a new home where they do not have hogweed in his enclosure.

Well, that's good.