Bumble Foot or Roost Sores? With pics

[FutureFarmGal]

My sweet little Cochin appears to have bumble Foot, just wanting to get a third party opinion if that's what it looks like, or if it Roost sores. One foot it looks like she has three scabs and on the other foot just one. I've started to treat it with TricideNeo powder soaks. Thanks in advance.

 

[cottontail farm]

Oh, that looks painful. Going to let someone else chime in here but guessing bumblefoot. I would probably add an electrolyte mix to her water as a little boost too. They come in little packets at the farm store "save a chick" and are like 3/$1

 

[FutureFarmGal]

Thanks cottontail farm. We'll do that!!

Also,centrarchid if you have any ideas how to prevent it I'd love to hear them. We have read about bumblefoot now and thought maybe the roosts were a little too high, so we built a lower shelf. We also are now making sure to keep lots of fluffy bedding in the coop to have a softer landing for their little feet. But if you have any more suggestions I'd love to hear!!

 

[centrarchid]

Thanks cottontail farm. We'll do that!!

Also,centrarchid if you have any ideas how to prevent it I'd love to hear them. We have read about bumblefoot now and thought maybe the roosts were a little too high, so we built a lower shelf. We also are now making sure to keep lots of fluffy bedding in the coop to have a softer landing for their little feet. But if you have any more suggestions I'd love to hear!!

I have kept chickens long enough with roost options to see roost height is not the culprit. The culprit has a lot to do with what is evident in your photograph. Chronic exposure to moist surfaces laden with feces. Increase frequency of replacing bedding / cleaning coop. Doing so will reduce abundance of organism(s) causing infections.

 

[FutureFarmGal]

We change the bedding every week in the coop and they have a large run. But they do have one muddy corner in their run that they always dump their water in and play in and walk through. Maybe that isnt great for them?

 

[centrarchid]

Somewhere bird is picking up materials that are sticking feet and foot feathers like little balls of concrete.

 

[cottontail farm]

I always read and correct me if I'm wrong, that bumblefoot occurs because the chicken steps on a tiny thorn,spinter etc and gets an infection. Go pick up any one of my chickens and they are going to have dirt on their feet. Because they're out free ranging. There are threads on BYC about getting rid of bumblefoot, plenty of people have this happen.



Edited by Staff

 

[WaterWindStone]

Ouch...yes that does look like bumblefoot!

Birds can get bumblefoot from high roost bars...jumping down from high places can bruise the pads and weaken the skin enough that bacteria enters the pad causing bumblefoot.

Birds lacking in Vitamin A as well as sick birds will have thin pads which bruise or puncture easily leading to bumblefoot as well.

And yes, thorns, sharp stones, prickly vegetation will poke the pad and cause infection too. So first, I would try and determine why and where they are puncturing their pads or weakening the skin. And on the note of Vitamin A, it never hurts to offer up sliced carrots a few times a week for added Vitamin A.

Then you should do a bumblefoot surgery on this foot. Lots of threads in the archives here on BYC about doing a surgery. This article here has a nice bumblefoot section and seems to cover it all... https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/leg-foot-and-toe-issues-in-poultry-of-all-ages (scroll down to the section on bumblefoot)

Make sure to keep the foot bandaged until the scab/scabs eventually fall off on their own.

Good luck and I hope you can get this cleared up soon!

 

[FutureFarmGal]

Thanks so much for the help! This is my first year with chickens, so sorry I don't know a whole lot. I just want to be the best chicken mommy ever!