8 week old silver laced cochin with very swollen and scabby legs.

[Adam_307]

Pictures: http://imgur.com/a/rnr1w

My 8(ish) week old silver cochin has swollen, scabby, and missing scales on both of her legs. We just noticed this about 5 days ago due to her leg feathers obscuring the problem. We took her to our local feed store and showed her to the, "chicken lady" there who examined her (she is not a vet, just very knowledgeable and been around chickens for a long time). She told us that it wasn't scaly leg mites, but she wasn't quite sure what it was. She thought perhaps a fungal infection and she suggested epsom salt soaks and an anti fungal spray, Dr. Naylor Blu-Kote, which we've been doing since. We've also been applying an antimicrobial called Vetericyn Plus. Her legs don't look any better, but she doesn't seem to be having much, if any trouble walking, though she certainly lays down more than her sisters her same age. She is currently housed with two other chicks until they are old enough to be introduced to the rest of the girls. They are in a temporary fenced off area in the yard covered by a thin layer of hay. None of the other girls are experiencing any similar symptoms at all. Her legs do feel quite warm to the touch, but there aren't any discharges from the few visible little scabs. The chicken is actually my roommates' and they refuse to, "take a four dollar chicken to the vet". It really bothers me and I hate to see her in discomfort so am trying to get to the bottom of the issue. She seems to be eating a drinking normally, but like I said earlier, she does lay around quite a bit. Her poops don't appear terribly abnormal, maybe a bit runny, but nothing that I would consider alarming.

Thanks in advance for ANY help you can offer.

 

[andreanar]

Can you post a photo?

 

[chicks are life]

X2 need pics

 

[AlleysChicks]

They did. But here it is.

 

[chicks are life]

Did her feathers just get pulled out?
It does look infected I would keep doing as directed by your "chicken vet".

 

[Adam_307]

Hopefully my imgur link to the pictures is working; there should be multiple pictures there but I'll include one here too. As far as feathers being pulled out, not to mu knowledge but perhaps a few may have fallen out due to the swelling or underlying issue. I was thinking about also maybe applying some triple antibiotic ointment to the legs too, but I dunno if that would be enough.
What about picking up my penicillin at the feed store? I don't want to put her on unnecessary antibiotics but I don't really know what else to do at this point.

Thanks all for the advice.

 

[andreanar]

It certainly does look infected. You could try some Penicillin or Tylan from Tractor Supply. I don't know what else to do either, besides keep up with the soaks and sprays. I would be worried that the infection would go thru her body, which is why I would try the antibiotics.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

What is she being fed?
Both legs are swollen - all the way up the hocks - any scabs or lesions at the hocks too?
It would be best to have a vet take a look since both feet are involved.
I'm just not sure what the cause would be - put she does have quite a few scabs where the feathers have been pulled out. I agree with @andreanar the legs look infected.
The swelling of both is concerning - so giving antibiotics would most likely be a good idea.

Continue to soak in epsom salts and apply Vetericyn or triple antibiotic ointment to the scabs. Keep her on clean, dry bedding. At some point the scabs may need to be expressed or come off to see if there is any pus/infection underneath. I would only pick one to work on at a time. You may have success with applying Clear (Decolorized) Iodine to one of the scabs (worst one) - cover it and then see if the scab loosens and comes out with a plug the next day. If it does, flush well with something like betadine, Chlorhexidinee or hibiclens and pack with triple antibiotic ointment to see if it heals - check it daily. It's hard to know if all of the scabs would need to come out or not - it depends on if you find any pus (hard cheese-like substance). Antibiotics can help, but they won't necessarily dry up pus - so if you do find pus, it needs to come out.