Something boring into our chickens feet?

[Moisa]

Yesterday my dd brought one of our buffs to me and told me she was sick. The top of her comb was turning purple. I had no idea what she had, so we got some antibiotics in their water. As a side note we live in NC where it's been VERY hot out. Later on her whole comb was purple. She didn't appear to be eating. When I questioned my dd, she said she noticed that this chicken hadn't been eating much for the past two days. I figured she probably wasn't drinking enough of the antibiotic so we decided to give an injectable antibiotic. Within two minutes the chicken was dead. Right before she died my dd noticed that there was this brown spot/lesion on her foot. On further inspection there was something in there, and my dd pulled out this 'yellow plug'. I asked her if it was some type of worm or something (btw I am laid up with a broken knee, so I couldn't see for myself). My dd said, no, it looked more like thickened up puss or something like that. Now, they brought another chicken to me today with a brown spot, like the first chicken, on each of her feet. My dd said it appears this chicken also has lice of some sort. We have never had a problem with bugs or lice with the chickens before.

Has anyone had this issue? Do our chickens have worms? The chicken that died appeared to be having a hard time breathing, but only just before she died. Are there things that can bore into a chicken like I noted, or is that some type of infection?

Thank you for your help!

Kerri

 

[BrokenRoadFarm]

Sorry to hear about your chicken. The scab on the foot sounds like bumblefoot. There are many threads in the Emergency/Injury section. I have not encountered it yet with ours. Sometimes it can clear up on its own, seems like most times you either need to remove the plug (what your dd found inside) or keep cleaning it and putting Neosporin (other have used honey as well) on it and wrapping it to make the infection clear up. Good luck to you

 

[chickenlady08]

It sounds like that your chickens have Bumblefoot. This is a staph infection and if not treated it can kill them, which sounds like this is happened. That scab thing is the bumble and that is the plug that you pulled out the foot. There pus is not liquidy like ours is, it is like a cheesy substance and more solid. I have performed bumblefoot surgery before on a couple of hens that we got from someone else. You need to get the pus out or else they will die as well.

Sorry about your knee. I broke my foot last October and had surgery in November so I completely understand the helplessness you are feeling.

There are many sights on here regarding Bumblefoot and step by step instructions to perform surgery.

 

[Moisa]

Thank you both! Yes, that is what they have. I have my dh bringing home some supplies for us to operate We apparently have a few others with bumblefoot. We plan on treating them fully, but what I would like to know now is how to prevent this from reaccuring? We live in a wooded area, so I can see how they would have gotten scratches on their feet. However none of our chickens had it last year or the year before that, so why now? Is there a way to reduce staph in the environment? I am supposing that the overall health of the chicken comes in to play as well. They have free access to the outdoors, but we do feed them some feed in the morning, but not a lot. Is there anything else we can do to help them resist further illness?

Thank you again,
Kerri

 

[BrokenRoadFarm]

Sharp objects (thorns, twigs, etc) can be the cause - especially if you are in a wooded area. You may want to keep them in their coop or run if you have one until you can clean up anything that can pierce their foot. Also, if you have a run, a hard landing from a roost or high place can also cause it. Our run is sand - softer on their feet. Hope things work out and hope you get back on your feet soon

 

[welasharon]

Also dust them and the coop/nests etc. with seven to treat the bugs and retreat again in 10 days...they can make them run down and more prone to illness...and eventually kill them too.
sharon