Chicken_Bureaucrat
In the Brooder
- Mar 6, 2023
- 33
- 16
- 36
1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
>Chicken hen, about six months old, started laying about a month ago
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
>Black scabs on both feet. Possibly early bumblefoot?
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
>Only noticed it today, no clear sign when this started. No limping or visible impairment.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
>No
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
>Black scabs on feet.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
>The hens are bad at getting inside before the solar door closes. Sometimes this one jumps up into the rafter of the run. The rafter is a 1x4 board with the 1" side facing up and was not sanded as I did not expect birds to perch there. So sharp corners and possibly splinters. She's been up there twice. I hand carry her down so no hard landings but she may still have scratched her feet getting up there. I have since sanded it and am looking to do something to make it impossible to get up there.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
>Layer feed, ranging in garden, old egg shells, some apple slices and brocolli frozen in an ice block, drinking normal water or probiotic/electrolyte water in a different container.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
>Normal
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
>Gave her foot a soak in epsom salt bath and brushed with toothbrush. Pictures are from after brushing and then letting free to play for a bit. Before the scabs were a bit bigger, blacker and more distinct.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
>If this requires a vet I intend to call one tomorrow.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
>Attached
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
>Coop with pine shaving bedding, sand poop board about 1.5 ft over floor. Roost about 1.5 ft over floor. Roost is made of a fallen redwood branch about 1.5" diameter. Branch had it's surface charred to remove splinters and the birds have further worn it down. Did not feel sharp when I touched it though there were slight bumps and burls. I have sanded it down just now even more.
Today I noticed one of my hens had a black scab on both her feet. I made a warm epson salt bath and soaked her feet in it as well as brushed at the scabs with a toothbrush. This knocked the edges of the scab loose but I noticed the center seemed to go deeper into the skin. I paused and let her run free to look up more bumblefoot info.
I'm currently not sure if this is early stage bumblefoot or just a scab with no underlying infection. Pad doesn't seem especially swollen or hot, I can't see any redness. I can't feel anything hard under it.
Path forward seems to be to soak her more and brush more until more of the scab is removed. But if it's just a "normal" scab and there's no infection does this risk exposing injured skin and causing an infection? Scabs are sometimes there for a reason right?
Not sure if I'm overtreating and I should leave it be or if I should be cleaning/applying vetercyn/antiseptic ointment, the whole nine yards.
>Chicken hen, about six months old, started laying about a month ago
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
>Black scabs on both feet. Possibly early bumblefoot?
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
>Only noticed it today, no clear sign when this started. No limping or visible impairment.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
>No
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
>Black scabs on feet.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
>The hens are bad at getting inside before the solar door closes. Sometimes this one jumps up into the rafter of the run. The rafter is a 1x4 board with the 1" side facing up and was not sanded as I did not expect birds to perch there. So sharp corners and possibly splinters. She's been up there twice. I hand carry her down so no hard landings but she may still have scratched her feet getting up there. I have since sanded it and am looking to do something to make it impossible to get up there.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
>Layer feed, ranging in garden, old egg shells, some apple slices and brocolli frozen in an ice block, drinking normal water or probiotic/electrolyte water in a different container.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
>Normal
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
>Gave her foot a soak in epsom salt bath and brushed with toothbrush. Pictures are from after brushing and then letting free to play for a bit. Before the scabs were a bit bigger, blacker and more distinct.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
>If this requires a vet I intend to call one tomorrow.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
>Attached
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
>Coop with pine shaving bedding, sand poop board about 1.5 ft over floor. Roost about 1.5 ft over floor. Roost is made of a fallen redwood branch about 1.5" diameter. Branch had it's surface charred to remove splinters and the birds have further worn it down. Did not feel sharp when I touched it though there were slight bumps and burls. I have sanded it down just now even more.
Today I noticed one of my hens had a black scab on both her feet. I made a warm epson salt bath and soaked her feet in it as well as brushed at the scabs with a toothbrush. This knocked the edges of the scab loose but I noticed the center seemed to go deeper into the skin. I paused and let her run free to look up more bumblefoot info.
I'm currently not sure if this is early stage bumblefoot or just a scab with no underlying infection. Pad doesn't seem especially swollen or hot, I can't see any redness. I can't feel anything hard under it.
Path forward seems to be to soak her more and brush more until more of the scab is removed. But if it's just a "normal" scab and there's no infection does this risk exposing injured skin and causing an infection? Scabs are sometimes there for a reason right?
Not sure if I'm overtreating and I should leave it be or if I should be cleaning/applying vetercyn/antiseptic ointment, the whole nine yards.