Advice on suspected bumblefoot please

[richardeblack]

Dear All,
One of my hens is not walking well. She keeps stumbling as she walks and I suspect she is no longer roosting on the perch but in one of the nest boxes. She is about 6 years old and no longer laying (no eggs for the past year) still eating well and seems not to be off her feet much.
I had a look at her this morning and soaked and cleaned her feet in Epsom salts. She seems to have black areas on her pads, one of which might be inflamed. They do not appear to be painful as she does not struggle when I touch them.
I have added a couple of not very good photos which might help with diagnosis.
I'd be grateful if anyone can help me with this and possible treatment. I have looked on line but there seems to be so many suggestions with few suggesting the same treatment.
Any help or advice will be welcomed.
Thank you very much.
Richard

 

[Eggcessive]

What is your bedding like in your coop and run. Has it been wet or muddy? Soaking the feet in warm Epsom salts water for 15 minutes daily is a good start on bumblefoot treatment. Some will then go ahead and try to remove the scab, and then retry to squeeze out any solid pus inside. You can also elect to use sugardine on the bumblefoot, and apply a folded 2x2 dressing, and vet wrap strips. That can stay on for 2 days, and then remove it and reapply another. Sugar pine is a paste made of sugar and povidone iodine or Betadine.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is a recipe for sugardine, and video of how to apply a dressing to the foot:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/quick-sugardine-recipe-needed.390868/

https://blog.meyerhatchery.com/2022/08/how-to-wrap-a-chickens-foot/

 

[richardeblack]

Thank you for your help.
The coop has medicated chopped straw bedding which I collect droppings each day and top up with bedding when necessary.
The run is an earth floor with dry dusty soil in one half, the second half is where their food and water is. This is sometimes a bit wet but not really muddy. I try to clear up the droppings in the end nearest the door where their food and water is but keep entering the run to an absolute minimum to reduce any risk of introducing avian flu. I clear the droppings at this end usually daily. I soaked her feet in Epsom salts this morning and will do so again tomorrow. I will try to get some betadine but not sure where it is available from.
Thanks very much for your help.
Richard

 

[Eggcessive]

Povidone iodine is available in much of the world in the first aid supplies in stores, and in feed or farm stores. Are you in the US? If so, at Walmart it is sold as Equate First Aid Iodine Solution. Betadine is more expensive, but it is the same.

 

[richardeblack]

Thank you. Unfortunately, from getting many of these supplies, I am in England and find that our local farm animal welfare shop only sells in large quantities. If betadine is just iodine, I can get that in Boots chemist. I'll check out on Monday and continue with bathing her feet in Epsom salts anyway.
Can the hens walk with the vet wrap on?
Thanks again.
Richard

 

[richardeblack]

Thank you again.
I have bathed her feet again today in epsom salts and taken some slightly better photographs. I'd be grateful if you could let me know if you think it is bumblefoot please.
The dark patches don't really feel like scabs and she doesn't seem to be in pain when I touch them.
I have taken some pictures of the tops of her feet and her legs in case it might be scaly leg mite.

.

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes, that is scaly leg mites. You will need to grease up her legs with any one of the usual products: vaseline or petrolatum, castor oil, liquid paraffin/mineral oil, even cooking oil or shortening. It will smother the leg mites if applied once or twice a week.

The dressing for the foot can be applied so they can walk around on it fine. Let us know how it goes.

 

[richardeblack]

Thank you very much again. I have a spray which I have put on her (seems to work on one of the others who get them from time to time) so hopefully that will work on that.
Do you think the black patches on the pads are bumblefoot? I've never had scaly leg mites cause the problems Buffy is having with walking
Thanks
Richard

 

[richardeblack]

Hello again
I've not been able to get Iodine anywhere locally so will have to get some off Amazon.
I have been soaking in Epsom salts daily and was thinking of getting some iodine dressings: Inadine 5cm x 5cm Non-Adherent Wound Dressings, Povidone Iodine, AntiMicrobial https://amzn.eu/d/iS6i6bB
Do you think they will work if held in place with vetwrap?
I haven't tried pulling off the scabs as they don't really look like scabs on the surface, more like black areas of the pad. Also I haven't been able to get dressings. Is that something I should do if I can get the iodine and gauze please?
Her feet aren't swollen, hot or reddened and she seems to be less lame after the regular soakings but she is still sleeping in the nest box not on the perch. The coop has chopped straw medicated litter and droppings are removed every day.
Sorry it's such a long post.
Thanks for taking the time.
Richard