Rooster's legs all red

[Weasleymum]

I noticed this morning that my roo's legs are streaked with red, with red between his toes as well. I thought maybe scaly leg mites, but he doesn't seem to have the raised/ bumpy scales associated with the mites. Is this an early stage, maybe? Does anybody know about OTHER things (besides the mites) that might affect the legs? No other symptoms, doesn't seem to be bothering him at all but it *looks* painful to my eyes. If that makes sense.

Oh, and he is a Buff Orpington, with the whitish legs usual for that breed, if that has any bearing. (No feathers or colored legs.)

Rest of the flock (5 hens) seems fine.

Right now my plan is to go ahead and use one of the non-invasive treatments for scaly leg mites: soak in warm water, mineral oil + tea tree oil on the legs, clean out the coop and move to fresh ground, treat the roost with vinegar/ tea tree oil, DE in the nest boxes and under the litter. Etc... on the grounds that none of that will hurt the flock if it turns out NOT to be the mites after all.

 

[Eggcessive]

It really is probably normal. My young roosters (and sometimes hens) that are becoming fertile and are healthy, have this as well. A popular thread here on BYC last year discussed this, and many noticed the same in their chickens in the spring time. If you see no raised scales I doubt if you have leg mites.

 

[dawg53]

I noticed this morning that my roo's legs are streaked with red, with red between his toes as well. I thought maybe scaly leg mites, but he doesn't seem to have the raised/ bumpy scales associated with the mites. Is this an early stage, maybe? Does anybody know about OTHER things (besides the mites) that might affect the legs? No other symptoms, doesn't seem to be bothering him at all but it *looks* painful to my eyes. If that makes sense.

Oh, and he is a Buff Orpington, with the whitish legs usual for that breed, if that has any bearing. (No feathers or colored legs.)

Rest of the flock (5 hens) seems fine.

Right now my plan is to go ahead and use one of the non-invasive treatments for scaly leg mites: soak in warm water, mineral oil + tea tree oil on the legs, clean out the coop and move to fresh ground, treat the roost with vinegar/ tea tree oil, DE in the nest boxes and under the litter. Etc... on the grounds that none of that will hurt the flock if it turns out NOT to be the mites after all.

Do nothing. Your roosters hormones are flowing which are normal for this time of the year....mating season.

 

[Weasleymum]

Oh wow, thanks you guys! I had no idea. I've had chickens for about 5 years now but he's my first rooster, so I didn't know about the hormones. I did notice that even though he had some frostbite over the winter, his comb was looking really red too, but in a good way-- vibrant. Should have mentioned that he's almost one year old.

 

[aart]

Ahh good to know it's normal. Both my 4mo and 2yo roos have red on their legs.