[pink-chicken]

I recently noticed that Primrose had a swelling between her 'toes' and instantly thought 'Bumble Foot' and took her to the vet. When he checked her foot he decided that the swelling felt too hard for Bumble Foot and checked underneath between her toes. He found a collection of debris, a mix of dried mud, mashed straw etc  which had formed into a pebble like ball. Not all that big but big enough to cause discomfort. There are 'pockets' of skin between the toes just asking for trouble! You can't really keep the girls feet clean as they constantly grub around in the soil and everything else but PLEASE check them every now and again. When I went through the rest of the girls I found exactly the same thing had happened to Cowslip except that it was at the pre swollen stage and I was able to tease the offending object out. Prevention is better than cure and your wallet will thank you as we were almost £40 poorer after the vet visit... what with consultation fee, foot wash and a dry iodine spray!

Jan.   

[Paul Plots]

Would providing them with a shallow tray / pool of water help them keep their own tootsies sorted?

Just a thought. 

[pink-chicken]

hmm maybe it would lol! Teach them to paddle in the shallows... could always put worms in the water as they would go anywhere / do anything for worms! 

Jan.

[Paul Plots]

How about a piece of old carpet under the "paddling pool" so they can dry their feet on the way out?  It might help keep the mucky bits from sticking on again. 

(If it catches on maybe we could design something specially for chooks an earn a fortune?)

[pink-chicken]

I'll get on to the patents office right after the holiday as you may have something there! We could also invent soil/waterproof bootees for after the carpet wipe. Just don't let anyone else know - my lips are sealed   

Jan.

[Paul Plots]

Shhhhh!
No one else knows..... if you discount the 65 who've sneaked a peak.  :blink:

I hope they don't beat us to it. 

"Best Boots for your Booties Beauties" complete with complimentary paddling pool and patio mat. 

[Lindeggs]

 

Well (apart from all the nonsense since the first sensible post  ) I think that's very good advice.  It's probably worth doing a full medical checkup twice a year or so...
- feet
- under wings
- face/beak/eyes
- around vent

Just to make sure everything's in order and you can act fast if not.

I'll have a foot bath and six pairs of booties please. 

[Paul Plots]

As a complete aside from chicken keeping (Now I am in trouble  )

When breeding budgies I found it necessary to check the feet of both the young and the hen when they were in the nest-box as they could get in a heck of a mess.

I once had to spend a good half-hour with cotton buds and a bowl of warm water de-gunking a couple of chicks feet which were like concrete balls. Without this the young chicks would not have had correctly developed feet. This particular hen was really mucky.... a combination of diet and being a new first time mother I suppose.

The chicks were fine.

[Chookiechook]

I had a light sussex who was prone to these balls..... they pressed out easily though

I have never had another chicken get them....so must be lucky!! 

[pink-chicken]

Glad the advice was useful   It's just that as first time hen owners some of us might not know about the complexities of henny feet and what can go wrong with them.

 'Learner' I'm just in the process of knitting bootees at the moment   am using an old glove pattern but struggling with the four 'fingers/toes' (one at the back!) as opposed to five!   Maybe childrens wellies would be a better idea?

Jan.

[Paul Plots]

Glad the advice was useful   It's just that as first time hen owners some of us might not know about the complexities of henny feet and what can go wrong with them.

 'Learner' I'm just in the process of knitting bootees at the moment   am using an old glove pattern but struggling with the four 'fingers/toes' (one at the back!) as opposed to five!   Maybe childrens wellies would be a better idea?

Jan.

A pair of scissors and "Marigolds" - rubber gloves in yellow or pink (I think they are). One greatly stretched finger from a large sized glove should do it for a chooks foot.....

Maybe not. Back to the drawing-board   

[sneezer]

In Katie Thears starting with chickens, a beginner's guide, this is called 'convict's foot'