I have a bantam chicken who is about 18 months-2 years old, when we got her she had a slight limp, however this went away when she became broody. lately her leg has got much worse and she will not put it down. When she goes to walk, her whole foot is flat and her leg is very swollen as you can see from the pics. Her feet are very scaly, could this be having an affect on it? Also it has got very muddy in the run so she tends to stay in one place all day even though they have the option to roam around the farm. Also another one of our young hens, a silkie about 1 year old, does this wierd thing with her legs, she will stand on one leg and left the other vertically up in the air, as if shes stretching. She does this all the time and it happens even if she is in a rush and just randomly. Could there be something wrong with her hips? Or is it just that she doesnt like to get her feet wet? Im trying to get a picture of her doing it so as soon as i do i will post one. Any help will be greatfull as i would hate to know any of my chickens are not happy.
Cant tell with the pictures but maybe leg mites? bumble foot? Look at the pad of the foot for a small spot like a wart and if there is one see if there is a core like or sliver?? Might soak the legs and put bagbalm on them.
Unless she has feather legs, that looks like a bad case of mites. Can't tell with the pic quality. Does it look like scales popping off, almost like a pinecone?
Thankyou for your replies We have a couple of chickens who do have leg mites, we have tried to treat this by bathing their legs and then putting vaseline on them but they get so scared and are hard to catch, so we tend not to stress them out. I will try again. But it seems to be a problem with her leg too. What happens if leg mites get left? Are they uncomfortable for the chickens?
It is leg mites. Take your chickens down from their roost at night, when they're sleepy and easily handled. Wrap them in a towel with their legs sticking out, and give their legs a good rub-down in Olive Oil, or Motor Oil, or Sesame Seed Oil, or Grapeseed Oil, or something along that line. The goal is to coat the leg in a substance that seals the cracks off from oxygen, which kills the mites. Good luck!
