I come to the well again.

[unbaked pegga]

I have a Wyandotte hen that is almost 1 1/2 years old. Abt 6 months ago she got bumblefoot which I had never heard of or seen. I took her to the vet and he lanced it and I gave her Baytril orally for 14 days. That was the worst ordeal of my life. I am widowed, live alone and have arthritis in my hands and couldn’t find a single solitary person who would help me hold her so I did it myself. That is my sad story. But you know her foot still had that knot and on both sides of her claw where it meets met leg. But her appetite is very good. I can tell if she is favoring it or not, chickens have that funny walk anyway. It is not crusty or have any drainage. But if she does have it I need to give her antibiotic. I just cannot afford another vet bill. This last visit was $90 and I had to skip buying one of my meds that month (honestly) I have quite a few antibiotics that I have boug for the chickens over the last few years. But I need to give her something IM. Her neck is like a rubber band and it exhausted both of us to getting her to swallow it and even getting her beak open. I can hold her under one arm and give an injection without an awful lot of difficulty. But I don’t know which med would be the best, the dosage and how long to give it. As always I appreciate any help

 

[Crazy Maizie]

I understand about taking care of chickens by yourself and having to do any type of intervention - plus I also have arthritis. So my thoughts are with you.
If this is a recent pic, it looks like she is still dealing with the bumble. The antibiotics help for sure, but the infection has to be removed. Bumblefoot doesn't drain, but is more like a lump that needs to come out.
My suggestion is to soak her foot in a warm Epsom salt bath. You can get a plastic tote with lid and cut the lid so that only her head sticks out and you don't have to hold her in the warm water. Or, just hold her while she soaks. Whatever is easiest for you.
Now, if your comfortable lancing it and squeezing out the staph infection, that would need to be done next. You would want to wear gloves as it is staph. Some have soaked, lanced (or picked out the scab), and then applied a drawing salve like prid to it. Repeating often until the bumble is cleared up.

As far as antibiotics:
Post in thread 'Can I use Tylan 50 to treat bumblefoot?' https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-50-to-treat-bumblefoot.1306034/post-21282704

Post in thread 'Can I use Tylan 50 to treat bumblefoot?' https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-50-to-treat-bumblefoot.1306034/post-21282864

This is a really good thread with different antibiotics listed:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/bumblefoot-information-in-progress.1388301/post-22795137

Hope this helps.

 

[unbaked pegga]

When I took her to the vet he lanced it(I think) he didn’t wrap it or anything and I had 2 weeks of trying to get that Baytril down her but the lump never went away but she has seemed like she feels good. the lump may have grown I can’t really tell because I am a worry wort and I don’t know if I am perceiving it right. She keeps hurting that foot because I have 5 hens and all of them get on the top roost except her. She is too heavy but she tries every night falling off the roost multiple times. I am in a fizz, I don’t know if since that lump stayed and she keeps clambering to get on that top roost and reinjuring that foot. I don’t have the money to take her to the vet and I am a basket case when they struggle. In my defense I was a nurse for 51 years and I could perform any procedure on a patient without batting an eye but I could explain the situation to a human and you can’t to an animal. They are afraid and I don’t do well when I see their distress because I know they don’t understand. I don’t know how I would even try to do this by myself. I have the strength but to cut the foot of a struggling chicken while they are trying to get away from you and then to wrap it and they or one of the others would pull the dressing off and all of the chicken poop. I wonder if a vet could put in dissolve-able stitches and/or surgical glue. I know what needs to be done but don’t know if I can achieve it and I don’t want her to die. I have had some chickens give me a fit over the years being sick. I had the money then to take them to the vet. After these babies are gone I won’t get anymore

 

[Crazy Maizie]

I would just do Epsom salt soaks and apply prid (drawing salve). Do this in the evenings. Then apply antibiotic ointment in the morning. I just read that someone here on BYC did so without any type of lacerations. It sounds like the easiest treatment to do.

 

[Ebony Rose]

As for your problem popping a pill down her throat, hold her under one arm and with the hand that is supporting (and pinning) her, reach up and grasp her waddles, with the hand that's going to pop the pill, pull up on her comb and pop that pill into her mouth. When you release waddles and comb, she should automatically swallow the pill.
Edited to add: I too live alone, been there, done that. This method works for me.