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Birds
What can be done to keep birds feet healthy?
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5 Replies
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To maintain healthy feet for birds, it’s important to provide a variety of perches, ensure proper nail length, maintain a healthy diet and weight, and offer opportunities for exercise and bathing
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Footpad dermatitis (FPD) is, unfortunately, a common occurrence in broiler production. Because it is preventable and manageable, some countries around the world (e.g., Germany) are using the incidence of as an objective measurement of animal welfare. PFD is usually caused by excess moisture in the bedding of broilers, which can be cause by several issues like too many animals per floor square area, insufficient depth of the bedding material to absorb excreta moisture, wet excreta cause by several potential nutritional (e.g., rapid transit) and pathological conditions, low ability of bedding material to absorb moisture, insufficient ventilation, and more. Therefore, make sure to use proper bedding materials at the appropriate depth for the recommended stocking density according to the available ventilation system and expected harvest age of birds.
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To keep the birds feet healthy,sound litter management is required.
Antibiotics and antifungal medications are desirable when birds contracts foot pad infections.
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KEEPING POULTRY’S FEET HEALTHY
The following should be considered as general information; however, you should always seek professional advice, specific to your individual circumstances.
Maintaining healthy feet in poultry is crucial for their welfare, productivity, and to prevent painful conditions like foot pad dermatitis (FPD). Best practices include:
Keep Litter Dry And Clean
Wet Litter is the leading cause of foot pad problems, including FPD, which can cause painful lesions, ulcers, and infections. (Although less common in cages compared to floor systems, cage layers can develop hyperkeratosis (thickening of the skin) and footpad lesions due to pressure and friction from standing on wire or slatted cage floors).
Regularly add fresh bedding and remove wet or soiled patches, especially around waterers and feeders.
Ensure proper ventilation to reduce humidity and help keep litter dry. Ventilation should keep relative humidity between 50-70% to prevent litter from becoming too wet. Ventilation should remove the moisture produced during the day from the birds’ respiration, feces, and spilled water.
Proper drinker height and water pressure prevent excess water spillage onto litter. Regular flushing and cleaning of drinker lines reduce leaks caused by biofilm or debris, minimizing wet spots under feeders and drinkers where birds spend most time.
High stocking density leads to more excreta per area and compacts litter, reducing drying.
Ammonia from wet litter causes chemical burns and painful foot lesions.
Nutrition
Avoid high levels of poorly digestible protein, as this increases nitrogen in droppings, which can worsen litter quality and foot health.
Biotin and zinc supplementation, in particular, support skin integrity and have been linked to improved foot pad health.
Electrolytes like sodium and potassium influence water balance and litter moisture, affecting foot health. Excess dietary sodium (or protein) can increase water consumption, leading to wetter litter and higher risk of foot problems.
Monitor
Inspect birds’ feet weekly to catch early signs of foot pad issues, such as cuts, scabs, or swelling. Early detection allows timely intervention before lesions worsen.
Housing
Provide smooth walking surfaces; sand down sharp edges on perches, slats, or nest boxes to prevent abrasions.
Other common foot problems include:
Bumblefoot – localized infections/swelling, due to poor perch design or hygiene, and rough or contaminated flooring.
Hyperkeratosis – thickened foot skin from constant contact with litter or rough surfaces.
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Make sure your litter management is good especially in deep Litter system while the cage size and height are accurate enough for cage management. Also, your Feed and feeding system too especially ingredient such as Calcium and Phosphorous level in the feed must be adequate per age
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