Rooster's middle toe twisted and looks like it's dying. (Pictures)

[Ryguy3684]

First, it's not cold enough for frostbite here. My rooster, Popeye, was treated for scaly leg mites in late January. At that time, his middle toe was bent awkwardly. We thought it was broken, so we splinted it for 1 week. When taking off the bandages, a large area of skin/scales peeled off, which I've heard happens after scaly leg mites. We lathered it with antibiotic cream and rewrapped the splint. After another week we removed the bandage and that area looked scabbed over. His toe went right back to being twisted and bent. There's no smell of rot, but his toe is looking dried and dead where the scab is. We thought the swelling at the joint was from the break, but now I'm not so sure it was broken.

Is the swollen area to the right of his middle toe a possible bumblefoot? It could easily be twisting his toe like that, with the pressure. I'm ready to cut him open to remove it, but I wanted another set of eyes on it before that happens this weekend. Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Maddcatter]

First, it's not cold enough for frostbite here. My rooster, Popeye, was treated for scaly leg mites in late January. At that time, his middle toe was bent awkwardly. We thought it was broken, so we splinted it for 1 week. When taking off the bandages, a large area of skin/scales peeled off, which I've heard happens after scaly leg mites. We lathered it with antibiotic cream and rewrapped the splint. After another week we removed the bandage and that area looked scabbed over. His toe went right back to being twisted and bent. There's no smell of rot, but his toe is looking dried and dead where the scab is. We thought the swelling at the joint was from the break, but now I'm not so sure it was broken.

Is the swollen area to the right of his middle toe a possible bumblefoot? It could easily be twisting his toe like that, with the pressure. I'm ready to cut him open to remove it, but I wanted another set of eyes on it before that happens this weekend. Thanks for your thoughts.

I can't say for sure if it's bumble. It's certainly possible. If you're going to go down the road of cutting it, I'd STRONGLY suggest a few baths with epsom salt first. If it is bumble, that swollen knuckle above the wound probably has a lot of pus in it, and chicken pus comes out attached to the scab a lot easier than not attached and you digging for it.

Also, have 2 people. One to hold, one to tease the scab off, and possibly dig/squeeze out pus.

Most of the other tips and tricks for bumble are the directions you find in a basic google search.

It doesn't look like a normal bumblefoot wound to me, but that doesn't mean he didn't manage to get a wound and have it be infected... Which will kind of end up with the same problem.

 

[Ryguy3684]

I can't say for sure if it's bumble. It's certainly possible. If you're going to go down the road of cutting it, I'd STRONGLY suggest a few baths with epsom salt first. If it is bumble, that swollen knuckle above the wound probably has a lot of pus in it, and chicken pus comes out attached to the scab a lot easier than not attached and you digging for it.

Also, have 2 people. One to hold, one to tease the scab off, and possibly dig/squeeze out pus.

Most of the other tips and tricks for bumble are the directions you find in a basic google search.

It doesn't look like a normal bumblefoot wound to me, but that doesn't mean he didn't manage to get a wound and have it be infected... Which will kind of end up with the same problem.

Thanks. I've had to cut a couple of times in the past, for different chickens. It's an interesting experience. He's had a few nights of epson salt soaks already, so were good there.
I agree, if it is, it's an odd presentation. I've had one present with a traditional plug and one between the toes that I couldn't find an entry point.

 

[Maddcatter]

Thanks. I've had to cut a couple of times in the past, for different chickens. It's an interesting experience. He's had a few nights of epson salt soaks already, so were good there.
I agree, if it is, it's an odd presentation. I've had one present with a traditional plug and one between the toes that I couldn't find an entry point.

I have a welsummer flock and hay growing all around me. Apparently wellies have really soft feet, and hay seeds are shaped like spears.

I have had a couple of hens that ended up with abscessed bumble, which is both easier (you know when you got it all) and harder (it's a rather tough, possibly large cyst) to get out.

The large flakes of skin that came off may have been the skin healing from mites, and may very well have hid a much smaller wound some where.

Whatever caused it, it certainly looks infected and swollen now.

...if you have the ability to give him an antibiotic, it'd probably be a good idea. If that's not your thing (or you can't), raw honey mixed into water is a weak antibiotic, and oil of oregano has been shown to have antibiotic qualities.

The good news is that it looks like the tip of his toe is still getting circulation, so hopefully it won't literally fall off.

 

[Ryguy3684]

The tip being healthy is definitely the saving grace. I have several antibiotics so I might give that a try first. Is one better than another? I have Oxytetracycline & Tylosin.

 

[Maddcatter]

The tip being healthy is definitely the saving grace. I have several antibiotics so I might give that a try first. Is one better than another? I have Oxytetracycline & Tylosin.

So, from what wiki says, Tylosin is effective against staph... Which is what the infection of bumblefoot actually is. I would probably choose that one.

Tbf, I'm trusting wiki, I might be wrong to do so.

 

[Eggcessive]

It looks like there was a big chunk out of the toe with an injury. The swelling and redness could be due to a too tight bandage or the injury. I would probably just soak the foot (or feet) daily in warm Epsom salts water, or in a little water with Betadine or chlorhexidene, which will promote healing.

 

[Maddcatter]

It looks like there was a big chunk out of the toe with an injury. The swelling and redness could be due to a too tight bandage or the injury. I would probably just soak the foot (or feet) daily in warm Epsom salts water, or in a little water with Betadine or chlorhexidene, which will promote healing.

I hadn't thought about a bandage being too tight. Vet wrap can tighten over time. If that's the case @Eggcessive has the correct answer.

The OP would know if that's what's going on though, right?

 

[Ryguy3684]

It looks like there was a big chunk out of the toe with an injury. The swelling and redness could be due to a too tight bandage or the injury. I would probably just soak the foot (or feet) daily in warm Epsom salts water, or in a little water with Betadine or chlorhexidene, which will promote healing.

Thanks. I've been doing the espon salt soaks. The odd thing is that there was no "chunk" missing from injury. It was perfectly fine until a thin layer of skin/scale peeled off in that area. It's done all that damage from there. If the swelling is from infection, would a round of i.m. antibiotics help any? I know that tylosin works on gram positive bacteria like staph.