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My chicken has swollen, sore feet and can't stand. What's wrong?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Bird | Unknown - Bird | Female

I have 2 young hens, one of them has a sore on both soles of its legs. The claws look swollen and she cannot stand on her feet. It's been like that for some weeks now. What can be the cause? Is there anything I can do?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr Stafford, BVetMed, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Published on March 7th, 2018

It sounds like your chicken is suffering from a common condition called pododermatitis. This can be caused by husbandry issues such as narrow/ rough perches or faecal contamination. Usually it requires a course of antibiotics to settle so I would advise you to go to an avian vet. Also consider the chicken's housing.

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