Broken cockrell's leg already splinted, but blisters?!?

[Goldwingnut]

I've got a young rooster, a 24 week old Black Copper Maran mix with a DIY splint on a broken leg. There was some skin injury below the knee, which we treated woth Neo-sporon and gauze wrapped around it...then the popsicle stick treatment.

He's developing water blisters on the effected foot. One is small, one is the size of a cranberry, and one in-between. We've lanced them twice today, and applied Neo-sporin without any pain relief additives.

The injury was Friday.

Any ideas?

 

[Eggcessive]

Blisters should be left alone. Why are there blisters forming? Do you have any pictures of the injury? Which bone is broken? Were the bones displaced? Is it through the skin? Could the wrapping be causing the blisters?

 

[Goldwingnut]

No displacement in the break, nor is there any misalignment. There was just some slight bending of the leg bone when examining it. My wife isn't even 100% convinced it actually IS a break. (I am...)

I have ZERO idea why there are blisters!

We didn't take pics of the injury, but the break is midway between the ankle and knee.

I have a LARGE wire dog crate inside of my coop, for isolation purposes. We think he may have gotten his leg caught in the stiff wire somehow. They like to roost on top of it.

His "shin" shows some exterior damage to the scales, just not a bone protrusion.

 

[Goldwingnut]

I lied.

Here is a pic or two of the blisters. I forgot I had snapped a few to show my wife.

Bizarre....

 

[Kiki]

I can't tell by your pictures but what I would like to say real quick is 99% of the time when people wrap a chicken's leg they are doing it wrong and they make things worse.

 

[Goldwingnut]

I considered that the wrap might be too tight. In fact, we had used a modified aluminum finger splint originally, then removed it after the blisters formed. There are 3 shortened popsicle sticks loosely sandwiched between 2 layers of gauze. The gauze has about 3-4 wraps, each.

Gauze, splints sticks, gauze, tape. I had watched a YouTube video. And it's about exactly what still remains...after removing both halves of the aluminum finger splint.

I don't believe it is overly tight, but I'm open to the idea of removing it. (I think...)

He "carries" it, tucked up high, under his breast. He's isolated in a wire dog crate in my garage. He crows and flaps his wings. I think he needs to eat more, but will if encouraged.

Watch the first half of this to get the idea of what he has now:

 

[Goldwingnut]

Ok. I think we've accurately diagnosed my ittle Roo's ailment: Bumblefoot. The blisters are exactly like some Google images we looked at.

We've now completely removed the splint and the gauze. His foot is darker than the healthy one.

The scabbed-over injury is about the size of a quarter on his shin...right at the point where the broken leg bone is.

What to do?

 

[Eggcessive]

The darkening could be that the splint was too tight. More pictures might help. When I separate in a wire dog crate, I place bedding inside or a piece of plywood with bedding. Bumblefoot can happen between the toes as well as on the foot pads. Again better pictures would be good.

 

[Eggcessive]

Most bumblefoot is treated starting with soaking the feet in warm Epsom salts water for 15 minutes daily. You can then chose to do the minor surgery to get the kernel out, or use Betadine and sugar on a bandage to be changed every other day. Prid drawing salve can also be used that way.

 

[Goldwingnut]

Thank you for the replies. It is a pretty scary set of pics. He will eat out of my hand, but not much else. He crows and flaps in his hospital suite. He is consuming water.