Bumblefoot in quail, no kernel?

[FeatherSmith]

In one of my hutches I have 25 birds: six males and nineteen females just about seven weeks old.
My hutch had galvanized wire but i noticed some scabbed feet and switched to coated PVC.

Three days ago i had a look and four of the females had scabs. I marked them with red bands and soaked their feet with epsom salt. Then I took off the scabs applied neosporin and bandaged them up. I tried to do a little bit of manipulation but I could not find any kind of kernel or pus. There was no dead tissue other then the scab itself.

Today I was unwrapped their feet and gave them another soak. I'm loathe to go poking around in their feet. I don't want to hurt the poor things! I took the scabs off three but the last one I left as is and changed her band to pink so I can try a more conservative treatment with soaking.

They don't seem to notice they have something wrong with their feet, even with the bandages they run around and eat normally.

Is this bumblefoot? Does bumblefoot always involve a core or kernel in quail?

Just how deep is the kernel? On the worst bird I looked fairly deep the first time but found nothing.

Here's one of the females. She's a bit wet still from the soak!

 

[muddy75]

@TheOddOneOut or @EmmaRainboe may be able to help with treatments
You may want to consider adding dust bath boxes to give them relief from wire coated or otherwise for future preventative measures

 

[FeatherSmith]

I have one half the hutch on two trays filled with shavings, but I did just get some sand. They seem to really enjoy being off the wire sometimes, and that's where I find all the eggs!

 

[Nabiki]

They don't just like being off of the wire sometimes, they need a place to rest their feet.

It looks like your birds got foot injuries, but if you're not finding a plug, I'm guessing that you caught it before infection set in.

 

[vall]

That looks fine. Don't mess with it further. I didn't see a kernel in my experience with bumblefoot, and she recovered quickly.

 

[EmmaRainboe]

@TheOddOneOut or @EmmaRainboe may be able to help with treatments
You may want to consider adding dust bath boxes to give them relief from wire coated or otherwise for future preventative measures

I treat bumblefoot in quail the same way I do wit( chickens

just like below.

soaked their feet with epsom salt. Then I took off the scabs applied neosporin and bandaged them up

You did good, I’d just keep applying neosporin and give it time to heal.

 

[FeatherSmith]

Thank you very much for your help everyone. I actually cried a bit after doing this work the first time. I am not squeamish and have taken care of cysts, bites, and cuts on myself and my dogs. However unlike a dog or a person, these little birds really don't seem to know I'm trying to help and I hate scaring them.

This time it was much easier to do the treatment. I was quicker, generous with the antiseptic, and much faster with the bandaging this time around.

I'm going to look up from under the wire when I check on them daily so I can catch this thing early from now on and go with conservative treatment. I'm hoping having a half solid hutch and good wire will stop it happening.

 

[muddy75]

Thank you very much for your help everyone. I actually cried a bit after doing this work the first time. I am not squeamish and have taken care of cysts, bites, and cuts on myself and my dogs. However unlike a dog or a person, these little birds really don't seem to know I'm trying to help and I hate scaring them.

This time it was much easier to do the treatment. I was quicker, generous with the antiseptic, and much faster with the bandaging this time around.

I'm going to look up from under the wire when I check on them daily so I can catch this thing early from now on and go with conservative treatment. I'm hoping having a half solid hutch and good wire will stop it happening.

You can try cutting end off a sock and burrito wrapping them while working on them….sometimes that can be helpful