UtahLisa
In the Brooder
I had one of my Welsummer hens limping about 10 days ago. It didn't surprise me because she always fights with her sister. I gave her a quick look over and didn't see anything to be alarmed about. Last week she was still limping and when she jumped up onto her perch to get ready for bed I saw her foot was a little swollen. I immediately thought, oh on...she hurt her foot. I checked her out on last weekend and saw she indeed had a swollen foot. I started researching the "BackYard Chickens" forum and saw all sorts of posts on Bumble Foot. I figured that must be it.
My In Laws came into town last week Friday so I have been trying to entertain them while all the whole time in the back of my mind was my darling girl and her sore foot. At nights I watched YouTube Videos of what to do and continued reading what I could do to help my girl. Please keep in mind that I'm a new hen mom as of February so this has all been pretty sudden but I now have 17 hens and 4 chicks...so sink or swim at this point.
Anyway, my in laws decided to go take my husband out for lunch and take my kids with them so I figured it was the perfect time to clean up and get my head wrapped around a quick surgery (yah, I know...right).
Upon inspection of my girls foot (after soaking for 20 minutes) I could see a very large black spot under her foot on the pad and a small eraser size protrusion on the top of her foot. I started cleaning up the top part and it began to wiggle. I felt I could clean it throughly to better inspect but upon cleaning it I could see it was loosening. I grasped it snugly with my fingers and it pulled out leaving a clean pock on the top of her foot.
My focus then went to the botton of her foot. I then realized it was a puncture wound going though her foot entirely. I did the surgery and it went well (I felt). I removed all discolored tissue and cleaned the channel wound). I put triple ointment on her foot and bandaged it up. She seemed in and was walking around on it immediately. I think it was more the pressure of the infection that was hurting her and she must have felt immediately better.
So, my question to everyone is what do I do post op? I have her foot wrapped and no one is bugging her. She is not getting pecked or picked on in any way so I left her with the rest of the hens. I'll keep a close eye on her and change her dressings tomorrow but should I give her some sort of antibiotic? Or should I be doing something else? Not sure if I have covered all the bases? I have done so much research now on bumble foot and most of the stuff shows you how to remove the infection but not a whole lot on post op treatment. Anyone out there have any other recommendations?
Side Note: I love this website because I have been able to do stuff like this with confidence and assurance. I would have never done anything like this a few months ago. WOW, it's nice to have everyone's support here.
THANKS SO MUCH!
Utah Lisa
My In Laws came into town last week Friday so I have been trying to entertain them while all the whole time in the back of my mind was my darling girl and her sore foot. At nights I watched YouTube Videos of what to do and continued reading what I could do to help my girl. Please keep in mind that I'm a new hen mom as of February so this has all been pretty sudden but I now have 17 hens and 4 chicks...so sink or swim at this point.
Anyway, my in laws decided to go take my husband out for lunch and take my kids with them so I figured it was the perfect time to clean up and get my head wrapped around a quick surgery (yah, I know...right).
Upon inspection of my girls foot (after soaking for 20 minutes) I could see a very large black spot under her foot on the pad and a small eraser size protrusion on the top of her foot. I started cleaning up the top part and it began to wiggle. I felt I could clean it throughly to better inspect but upon cleaning it I could see it was loosening. I grasped it snugly with my fingers and it pulled out leaving a clean pock on the top of her foot.
My focus then went to the botton of her foot. I then realized it was a puncture wound going though her foot entirely. I did the surgery and it went well (I felt). I removed all discolored tissue and cleaned the channel wound). I put triple ointment on her foot and bandaged it up. She seemed in and was walking around on it immediately. I think it was more the pressure of the infection that was hurting her and she must have felt immediately better.
So, my question to everyone is what do I do post op? I have her foot wrapped and no one is bugging her. She is not getting pecked or picked on in any way so I left her with the rest of the hens. I'll keep a close eye on her and change her dressings tomorrow but should I give her some sort of antibiotic? Or should I be doing something else? Not sure if I have covered all the bases? I have done so much research now on bumble foot and most of the stuff shows you how to remove the infection but not a whole lot on post op treatment. Anyone out there have any other recommendations?
Side Note: I love this website because I have been able to do stuff like this with confidence and assurance. I would have never done anything like this a few months ago. WOW, it's nice to have everyone's support here.
THANKS SO MUCH!
Utah Lisa
