- Feb 8, 2014
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It seems to be healing fine-after just two days much better than I expected. It's wrapped with antibiotic so we'll keep an eye on it. It was and still is quite swollen.
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I would apply antibiotic and keep it wrapped for 4-5 days to keep it clean. The hen I had was limping and it was really obvious. Another had black spots on her feet but she seems fine and I have left her alone. I am beginning to suspect that many chickens get it and owners don't know it unless the bird starts limping or they are looking for it. So, it's possible that many birds get over it on their own. Could be wishful thinking on my part.
Detailed Vet trip for duck with bumblefoot:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1070739/detailed-vet-trip-for-duck-with-bumblefoot#post_16308358
I agree and my vet does too; some will resolve on their own.
I also agree with you that many more of us are noticing it. Maybe it's because we generally have smaller flocks and maybe we're handling them more often. My chickens like to snuggle, so it's easier for me to notice small changes.
Although geared toward commercial production, this some good photos and information about bumblefoot but has GRAPHIC PHOTOS: Paws Quality and Foot Health: Causes and Solutions. On page 12 it states, "Lactobacillus acidophilus increases incidence (biotin competition)." From what I understand, a lack of biotin in their diet can make them more susceptible to bumblefoot (this page has a summary of dietary needs for poultry: Biotin).
The abstract of "Effect of Lactobacillus Inoculation and Antibiotic Feeding of Chickens on Availability of Dietary Biotin" seems to suggest it's possible (I can't access the full-text version), but everything is geared toward commercial production and I don't understand a lot of it. Nearly all of the poultry feed available in my area contains probiotics. Could that be a contributing factor for the increase in bumblefoot cases? I don't know enough about any of it to judge.