Chicken bald back

[Claireabella]

My lovely OH has bought me 2 new girls; one porcelain and one mille fleur Barbu D'uccle. After bringing them home I've found that they have a major problem with their feet and legs. I should have taken them straight back, I know, but it's an hour drive and I don't feel it would be fair on the hens. I think it might be a very severe case of scaly leg but it is so severe I'm just not sure if it is scaly leg or something else. I don't think it's bumblefoot as there is no black spots on the base of the feet. I'm really not happy about this. I feel like sending a very strong worded message to the breeder

 

This is the best picture I could get but doesn't really show the pinkness of the feet. The mille fleur hen's feet seem to be worse than the other one.

 

 

Their toe nails seem to be grossly misshapen and I can't see any scales just pink, incredibly sore looking feet and legs with strange growths. It already looks like part of the toe at the back is missing. I've soaked their feet in warm water to remove any dirt (which they seemed to like) and applied Ivermectin based drops. Has anyone ever seen anything this severe? Is there anything else I can or should be doing? I'd really appreciate any advice.

[miller30]

Hi don't worry they should be fine you've done all the right things my sablepoots had terrible scaley leg like concrete when I got them took a few months but we're as good as new also the back missing toe bit if it's what I think it is this is not uncommon to get this from some breeding if you can try and clip their nails and the best thing I find for scaley leg is mud must act like a mud pack lol leanne

[miller30]

Also I think they have possibly been treated as you normally get the pink puffiness before they get better honestly might be a bit of a shock to you but I've seen worse leanne

[Claireabella]

Thanks Leanne, that's reassuring. So, I just have to be patient. It was a shock for me; I've never seen anything like it. They don't seem to be too bothered about their feet at the moment, they're still scratching about and have had a long dust bath. I do feel like such a fool though. It's not my first time buying hens and I should have noticed but I just didn't see their feet until I got home and the breeder didn't mention it. I guess we live and learn

[daxigirl]

Give them a soak in warm water with a bit of shampoo, at least you'll know they're clean, it may be iron strong poop or ingrown feather shafts that need a little gentle teasing.

 

Just bought some canaries with bad claws and poop crusts, like you didn't look closely at their feet. spent last night trying to soak their feet and cut claws. Tricky on something so tiny and delicate, give me chicken foot any day!

[Cat tails]

I would maybe still give the seller a ring. I find it strange that they didn't mention the feet and maybe he was treating them already with something and you can continue the treatment.

[Egluntyne]

I find slathering the feet with Sudocrem works well.

[Claireabella]

Do you think those lumps could be poop? I'm not sure what they are or if they are something I should be trying to tease off. Are these lumps something that can happen with scaly leg? I've just got this fear that she'll lose the end of her toe if I try to get the lumps off because the majority of the lumps are around the end of the toes. Can't imagine trying to do it on a canary daxigirl - must be a right fiddly job!

 

Thanks for the tip about the sudocrem Egluntyne, I'm sure I've got some somewhere and that should give them some comfort. Like I said, the porcelain hen's feet are not too bad. I can only see one lump on one of her toes and her feet are not as pink.

[miller30]

Hi I don't think its poop looks like crusty scabs so I wouldn't try pulling them off also just out of interest does your porcelain girl have a beard ?leanne

[Claireabella]

Hi Leanne, they are both bearded. They are lovely girls, very easy to handle, just have this problem with their feet. Thanks for your help, much appreciated