What happened to Bianca's foot? (1 graphic photo)

[Nic&Chickies]

I need other members' help in figuring out what this could be, and then, what to do about it.

A couple of days ago, we noticed that our WL, Bianca, seemed to be limping. Yesterday, my boyfriend pointed out that one foot looked oddly swollen, almost like a ball or something. Well, it just so happened that she got on the "wrong side" of the fence where they get to sorta-free-run; so I had to corner her and pick her up anyway, to put her back over
the fence. But since she's our most skittish hen, I figured this was my only opportunity to check her out. Keeping her close, I turned her over so he could see her foot (and then enlisted my step-daughter to take a picture with her smartphone, which I had her email to me, so I could post it here).
There seems to be a swollen ball, from which her toes extend, making her foot look almost like a sea-star. The problem that I think I found, is a dark spot, kind of in the middle.

(Is it possible for a very light-weight hen to step on a nail or something?) While I held her, DB tried to tweeze it, and even sought to tease it out with the tip of an X-acto knife (no needle handy, as I'd use if I got a sliver). He gave up when he found he couldn't grab hold of anything, and Bianca started squirming more.

So, any thoughts? Thanks

in advance for any help given.

 

[GA_in_GA]

Search for bumblefoot. And compare the photos to your girl's foot.

 

[Nic&Chickies]

Yes, it was bumblefoot. The word crossed my mind when we were first looking at her, but I (previously) thought that was some sort of problem chicks have (like Pasty-Butt), so I dismissed it. As soon as the first image came up in my search, I knew that was it: it could have been the photo we took, turned a bit. [That was an ordeal, trying to get that picture out of my Yahoo Mail, and onto my computer, so I could then upload it here. It just would not save! I even went to the Forum FAQs, and tried the one about the looooong picture address, and that still only netted the thin rectangle with the ubiquitous three-shapes, we-can't-get-your-picture icon!]

Anyway, we spent two hours and $204.00 at the vet's office. Yes, Two Hundred and Four dollars! Tune-up, what's that?! The car hasn't completely broken down, maybe next paycheck

. So now Bianca has a stylish hot-pink bandage on her right foot, gets to sleep in a single dog-crate cushioned with a towel and straw, and can look forward to me hand-feeding pills to her for 10 days.
For those who are interested: she was prescribed 250 mg. of the antibiotic Clavamox, that's 2 aspirin-sized pills per day, for 10 days, and 25 mg. of Rimadyl, (one-quarter tablet) for the inflammation, that's for 7 days. Friday, she'll go back so they take off the bandage, and hopefully it won't need any further medical intervention.