Chicken feet swollen by hot coop ground

[Bryce Thomas]

I hose off the coop every day and always have fresh drinking water, tomorrow I will implement a shallow bowl that will always be full of water for them so they can wet their feet. I have shade that covers up 85% of the coop, but still some sun so they have 14 hours of light to lay eggs. Is there anything else I can do to cool down the coop ground? The coop ground is what I need colder, the coop air is a fine temp for my chickens. All are silkies

 

[3KillerBs]

Hello, welcome to BYC.

Have you measured the actual temperature of the ground surface?

What sort of litter do you use in your run?

As a general rule, dry chickens are healthy chickens so I can't think that it's a good idea to be continually wetting the ground that they walk on -- especially for a feather-footed breed.

 

[Bryce Thomas]

Hello, welcome to BYC.

Have you measured the actual temperature of the ground surface?

What sort of litter do you use in your run?

As a general rule, dry chickens are healthy chickens so I can't think that it's a good idea to be continually wetting the ground that they walk on -- especially for a feather-footed breed.

I dont know the ground surface, but it dosent feel that hot

I dont use any litter like shavings or anything, I have many friends who have other chickens but not silkies, they dont have any litter for their runs or coops and they are just fine in the summer time with a bowl in the ground no more than 3 inches deep and the birds can cool off in it

 

[Byrd gal]

I hang a fan in the run keeps them cooler and the bugs off. I would put a few gallon or 2 liter bottles of frozen water at their favorite spot in the run. They can lay against them to cool off.

 

[Bryce Thomas]

I hang a fan in the run keeps them cooler and the bugs off. I would put a few gallon or 2 liter bottles of frozen water at their favorite spot in the run. They can lay against them to cool off.

Thank you, thank you and thank you

Today I got some epsom salts in some water and put their feet in it for a minute, even if their feet were fine. Their feet are normally blue like all silkies, I will get a picture tommorow

Would the salt bath have helped at all? I know this sounds really dumb, but would it help if I got some lubriderm (the kinda lotion I put on myself after showers to prevent dry skin) and can I rub it on their feet to help them? They are not limping or anything but I notices sores very slowly got bigger and now I know in a week or two it could crack open and now I have real bumblefoot on my hands and its gonna take work to cure them of it

 

[Bryce Thomas]

I hear that getting a frys milk jug and emptying it and cutting 4 small verticle slits near the top and filling it up with water then freezing it and putting it in the coop the following morning tends to work well. Should I do that?

 

[3KillerBs]

I dont know the ground surface, but it dosent feel that hot

I dont use any litter like shavings or anything, I have many friends who have other chickens but not silkies, they dont have any litter for their runs or coops and they are just fine in the summer time with a bowl in the ground no more than 3 inches deep and the birds can cool off in it

Wet dirt = mud.

Mud plus feathered feet = problems, including bumblefoot.

I suggest that you put down a good layer of bedding in the run and stop wetting it down. Dry chickens are healthy chickens.

Also, look up "Bumblefoot" in the articles to see if that's what's happening with your flock.

 

[Bryce Thomas]

Wet dirt = mud.

Mud plus feathered feet = problems, including bumblefoot.

I suggest that you put down a good layer of bedding in the run and stop wetting it down. Dry chickens are healthy chickens.

Also, look up "Bumblefoot" in the articles to see if that's what's happening with your flock.

Thank you. I have met up with friends that have chickens and their feet look just like my silkies feet so I think there is nothing wrong, I am just preparing for the summer heat

 

[Bryce Thomas]

Wet dirt = mud.

Mud plus feathered feet = problems, including bumblefoot.

I suggest that you put down a good layer of bedding in the run and stop wetting it down. Dry chickens are healthy chickens.

Also, look up "Bumblefoot" in the articles to see if that's what's happening with your flock.

Also cant I just trim their foot feathers?

 

[3KillerBs]

Also cant I just trim their foot feathers?

That would be a lot more ongoing trouble than providing appropriate bedding in the run.

I am a tremendous fan of feathered feet and would hate to spoil their beauty unless trimming were medically-necessary.