Chicken bald back

[chickenNutter]

I haven't posted on here for a couple of years now, and my girls have been fine and well, although I seem to be fighting a constant battle against scaly leg.

 

More recently my Wyandotte has gone off her legs - she can walk but spends most of the day hunkered down in a flower bed. After the last time I treated her for scaly her legs went bright pink and all the scales dropped off. since then what look like tight crusty 'bands have developed on her toes. It looks terrible, almost like a tourniquet, and I'm not surprised she is not wanting to walk.

 

I have added arrows to the photo of the bands.

 

Help!

 

[The Dogmother]

I hate to say it, but that is a really nasty case of scaly leg mites, and it looks infected too; if that were my hen, then I'd cull her as she must be in a lot of pain.

 

....sorry

 

Can I suggest that you treat them every quarter with a spot-on preventative*, and also spray their legs with a spray containing permethrin*; this will keep the mites at bay, and treat any which may take hold.

 

*not licensed for use on poultry in the UK.

[good_egg]

It looks infected/gangrenous - can you take her to the vet?

[Mrs_B]

Ouch - poor girl, that looks very painful - I would take her to the vet right away, without any delay.

 

I have had scaly mite but the treatment of lotion was very effective and got rid of them right away, so I would say this must be something else, like a serious infection that's sadly set in quite nasty.

 

x

[chickenNutter]

Thanks Godmother, I have treated her and the other three with Ivermectin and used both nettex and another scaly leg spray, bathed her legs and used Sudocrem and vaseline but all to no avail.

 

I have booked her in at the vets, but the only vet with chicken experience is not available til 6 pm, so I will have to wait til then.

[The Dogmother]

Do let us know how you get on - it does look badly infected

[Plum]

Nasty, poor hen. There's pink beyond the bands so circulation still there. Good luck at vets.

[good_egg]

How did you get on at the vet?

[Mrs_B]

I hope you were able to get some answers when you went to the vet.

 

x

[kittyl]

ooh poor girl, I've had this happen twice to hens with scaly mite, the first time (she'd been

brooding so I hadn't noticed it) I rushed her to the vet who carefully cut the "band" off with a

scalpel & saved her toe. The second time when the band was removed it had caused too much

damage & sadly her toe had to be removed. I would say the worst thing to do is wet the toe,

this causes this tourniquet to tighten, Vaseline may be helpful as it should soften it until its treated -

which should be fast!

I now check mine regularly - especially those with feathery feet & ivermec when needed.

[chickenNutter]

I think my original photo was misleading, her legs were not black, although areas of them were discoloured, but shadow on the photo did make it look worse than it was. The vet agreed that some of her toes were infected following the scaly mite attack, and prescribed her antibiotics in her water. She is looking much better, but nearly at the end of her medicine and definitely not all gone.

 

She is looking more comfortable though, and eating well. her 'thumb' though does look like it has shrivelled and the nail dropped off. Did the Ivermectin spot on and vet also suggested applying it directly to her feet and legs.

 

Will report back on progress,

[Plum]

That's good. I used sudocrem to recondition and sooth the legs. It helps clean up the legs as well

[The Dogmother]

That's good. I used sudocrem to recondition and sooth the legs. It helps clean up the legs as well

 

The Benzyl Benzoate in that is a mite repellent too.

[Egluntyne]

I swear by sudocrem for scaley leg mite. I'd slather it on those legs in addition to the treatment recommended by your vet.