Bumble Foot Help Please

[BuffOrps416]

I have one chicken and I have noticed that she has bumble foot on both feet (one worse than the other).

I have found multiple methods including surgery (which I really prefer not to do), Epsom salts, Tricede Neo, and Betadine. The latter was suggested to me by a vet in training I know who asked the actual vet what she thought.

She said that opening up the foot could cause further complications (so taking out the kernel or surgery) and that Betadine would most likely kill off the infection because it is an antiseptic. But, I don't have any further instructions so for those of you with simple and effective methods please let me know (hopefully step by step) what you did.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Is she limping? Redness? Inflammation? Post a picture...

I have a hen that I thought had "bumble foot" over the New Year weekend, Dec 29th. However she wasn't hurting, eating/drinking, laying and walking fine. I dreaded the thought of having to do the surgery, found my Vet does chickens (nice) but also told to "leave it alone" but watch it it gets inflamed, irritated, infected, red and she starts limping even the slightest that it may be "just a scab" and by removing it would leave a wound that would probably get infected.

So being the chicken I am, decided to do just that but checking her every couple days.....It's shrinking! No swelling, no redness, no nothing but it's shrinking

Only you can decide what you want to try, it was not an easy call to "leave it alone" but I'm glad I did. It may NOT be right for your situation, only you know.

This is what my girl started with on Dec 29th, about the size of a pea and now it's half that, guess I should take another picture.

 

[azygous]

Treating bumblefoot doesn't need to involve a sharp instrument. And eliminating the kernel is really the best practice since it often involves staph germs and they may become a systemic infection if left alone.

Here's what I do. I prepare a very warm Epsom salt soak. I have at the ready the following items: Vet wrap cut into twelve inch by inch strips. A non stick Telfa pad. Triple antibiotic ointment. Vetericyn wound spray.

After soaking the bumble foot in the warm Epsom salts for fifteen minutes, scrape the black scab with your thumb nail. It should be loosened by the salts and continued scraping should lift it off the foot, kernel and all. Examine the crater for any remaining dark matter and remove. Use anything handy such as a toothpick or Q-tip. Re-soak if the material is stubborn.

After all infected material is removed, spray with Vetericyn then apply the antibiotic ointment. Place the Telfa pad over the wound and wrap securely with the vet wrap. If you do a proper job of bandaging, no dirt or bacteria will invade the wound. The patient may be returned to the run and resume normal activities.

I check the wound on the third day. If it's very shallow and small, it may already be healed. If the wound hasn't closed, I re-soak, and reapply the medicine and bandages and check again in three days.

See? No surgery. Nothing to be afraid of.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Treating bumblefoot doesn't need to involve a sharp instrument. And eliminating the kernel is really the best practice since it often involves staph germs and they may become a systemic infection if left alone.

Here's what I do. I prepare a very warm Epsom salt soak. I have at the ready the following items: Vet wrap cut into twelve inch by inch strips. A non stick Telfa pad. Triple antibiotic ointment. Vetericyn wound spray.

After soaking the bumble foot in the warm Epsom salts for fifteen minutes, scrape the black scab with your thumb nail. It should be loosened by the salts and continued scraping should lift it off the foot, kernel and all. Examine the crater for any remaining dark matter and remove. Use anything handy such as a toothpick or Q-tip. Re-soak if the material is stubborn.

After all infected material is removed, spray with Vetericyn then apply the antibiotic ointment. Place the Telfa pad over the wound and wrap securely with the vet wrap. If you do a proper job of bandaging, no dirt or bacteria will invade the wound. The patient may be returned to the run and resume normal activities.

I check the wound on the third day. If it's very shallow and small, it may already be healed. If the wound hasn't closed, I re-soak, and reapply the medicine and bandages and check again in three days.

See? No surgery. Nothing to be afraid of.

I can do that! I watched several videos, I may have been able to do that in my younger days but no way was I going to cut knowing the bird will/can feel the pain. I was not aware it could be a systemic infection if left alone, the person at the feed store & lady I got these hens from told me to leave it. I trust BYC members wisdom, you all are full of knowledge.

 

[azygous]

Well, we're better than feed store employees, that's for sure. Usually their qualifications don't include much more than visiting grandma's chickens back when they were four years old.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

Well, we're better than feed store employees, that's for sure. Usually their qualifications don't include much more than visiting grandma's chickens back when they were four years old.

Too true...when they don't know the difference between hay and straw, it really destroys their credibility, IMO.

 

[Isaac 0]

Oh..I just love it when feed stores employees tell me that DE is a Wormer and is good for chickens.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Ok we all agree Feed Store Employees are NOT as KNOWLEDGEABLE as BYC Members

In the 3yrs I've been involved with chickens/BYC I've learned what they say take with a big grain of salt. There's two that I know I can trust but Duckie & Jordan wasn't working that day I went in. That's why I ask YOU ALL

 

[BuffOrps416]

Thanks to all who replied. She isn't limping and is eating and drinking fine. I've heard that sometimes bumble foot causes hot feet and I felt hers and they were normal. It's been about a month since I first observed the puffiness and scab and it doesn't seem to have progressed or gotten better. ChickNanny13, I was told that opening up the foot would be worse and can cause infection... what do you think?

 

[ChickNanny13]

Thanks to all who replied. She isn't limping and is eating and drinking fine. I've heard that sometimes bumble foot causes hot feet and I felt hers and they were normal. It's been about a month since I first observed the puffiness and scab and it doesn't seem to have progressed or gotten better. ChickNanny13, I was told that opening up the foot would be worse and can cause infection... what do you think?

That's what I've been told too, therefore opt to "wait & see". I agree with you & "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" so I'm agreeing, leaving it alone and will see. As long as it's not red & infected, let it go.