1st bumble foot in flock

[MarlaMac]

So, I am dealing with my first case of bumble foot. I went about my monthly check today and other that a few poopy bottoms that needed to be clean, all is okay except one of my hens has bumble foot.

I expected this would happen b/c I am allowing them to walk around in water/mud/wet grass when the shade from coop hits the east side because, even at 8pm it is still 100+ degrees. I figured they need to have a cool down period before going to roost. They seem to really enjoy this time.

Anyway, the case seems very mild but it is about 1/4 in diameter.

What I have done:

15 min soak in epsom salt
Poked around the scab with the tweezers - the scab was broken up a little, but not much came off. I didn't want to just rip it off the skin (should I?)
Put plain antibiotic ointment on the scab, placed a gauze pad over it and then wrapped in vet wrap.

I didn't get any pictures, but will tonight when I bring her in to repeat the process. The pad didn't seem hard when I squeezed it.

What else can/should I be doing?

 

[ChickyWhicky]

You did the right things. I would continue to soak that foot until it is soft enough to get the scab off. You may need to cut the scab in order to get underneath if the soaking doesn't allow it to come off. You should run into some white substance (sometimes it's hard, sometimes it's soft, sometimes it's stringy, sometimes it's like a kernel or a plug) and it needs to be removed completely. Once you get all of it out, slap some antibiotic ointment on there and wrap it up. Keep it clean and re-wrap at least once a day. Should heal fine with the infection out, ointment on and kept clean.

 

[MarlaMac]

Here is a photo of our girl with bumblefoot. We did a 2nd epsom salt bath tonight - 15 min. Poke at it some more and got some of the scab to come off and I squeezed it pretty good. I got a little - tiny really - bit of white, sticky, but wet pus to come out. When I thought she had enough, I quit, sprayed it with vetricyn (sp?) and put ointment on it and wrapped it up for the night. Will repeats tomorrow. Hopefully I will get more out. There are definite margins around the scab and it looks like the entire scab might pop out at some point. A little bit of gauze sticking out, but I figured that really didn't matter since she was going directly to roost and it will be changed out first thing.

 

[MarlaMac]

I'd give it another soak in a day or so, then see if you can get more pus out.

I have been giving 2x a day soaks. Is this too much?

My girl doesn't seem to mind - gives here a little reprieve from the oppressive heat we are having right now.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

If she's not bothered by it, it probably won't hurt.

 

[MarlaMac]

Looks like she is healing pretty good. Doing bandage and antibiotic once a day. I am guessing the sore will just heal up at some point?

 

[MarlaMac]

We are extremely HOT right now in Central Texas. So much so, that I turn the water on and let it trickle in the shade by the coop before going to roost at night. I also dump their water on the ground throughout the day when I change out their waterers (I am doing that every 2 - 2.5 hours b/c the water is warming up that fast). This gives them somewhere cool to dig into the ground. So, needless to say, her bandage is getting wet throughout the day.

It is still in the upper 90s when they go to roost. Coop is open to air on all sides, but it is still very hot. Praying for some relief as we head into Sep, but next 5 days are 109, 108, 107, 106 and 103.

These poor babies are hot. I am doing all I can to keep them comfortable. Giving them places to get their feet wet is life saving, I think.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I see, yes, if that's the case, then changing daily is needed.

I hope the weather breaks soon.

 

[MarlaMac]

I see, yes, if that's the case, then changing daily is needed.

I hope the weather breaks soon.

Thank you!

 

[Rose Quartz]

So, I am dealing with my first case of bumble foot. I went about my monthly check today and other that a few poopy bottoms that needed to be clean, all is okay except one of my hens has bumble foot.

I expected this wood happen b/c I am allowing them to walk around in water/mud/wet grass when the shade from coop hits the east side because, even at 8pm it is still 100+ degrees. I figured they need to have a cool down period before going to roost. They seem to really enjoy this time.

Anyway, the case seems very mild but it is about 1/4 in diameter.

What I have done:

15 min soak in epsom salt
Poked around the scab with the tweezers - the scab was broken up a little, but not much came off. I didn't want to just rip it off the skin (should I?)
Put plain antibiotic ointment on the scab, placed a gauze pad over it and then wrapped in vet wrap.

I didn't get any pictures, but will tonight when I bring her in to repeat the process. The pad didn't seem hard when I squeezed it.

What else can/should I be doing?

I'd really like to see the picture you get. I've 'helped' one hen with bumble foot before. It was my friends chicken and I told her ahead that I wasn't sure it was a good idea, but she had a scalpel and told me to do it.

If it really is bumblefoot then there will likely be a hard white substance inside the foot. As I understand it if that doesn't come out it won't heal.

When I took all of it out of my friend's hen's foot it left a gaping wound that would have taken months to heal, and in the mean time the hen wouldn't be able to walk and would need their bandaged changed regularly.

We ended up putting her down instead of letting her suffer longer.

I now have a bunch of my hens that my sister just returned to me with bumblefoot, she had her roosts up too high. I really don't want to dig around in their feet. The only one who's infection looks small enough to me to be able to treat it is my rooster. I hope your girls foot will be small enough that you might be able to fix it.

I'm also going to be trying the epsom salt on him and see if I can do it without actually cutting his foot, but I really doubt it'll be possible.