Bumble Foot

[Serama Newbee]

I have been having some problems with Bumble Foot in my flock, and was wondering what causes it, and more importantly, what I can do to stop it. I just got done with operating on one of me leghorns that had it, from which she is recovering now, and decided to take a look out in the coop to see if there were any others that had it. There were none that I saw that had any swelling or anything, but when I looked underneath, I could clearly see the classic scab on the bottom of the foot. Nothing is very serious about it, other than the fact that I know they have it.

Is there anything I can or should do, how can I prevent it, and what causes it?

Thanks!

 

[Chicken Lover 1]

Bumble foot is a staph infection. If the staph bacteria gets into a tiny cut in the skin it causes bumble foot. Doing procedures like debeaking or toe clipping opens a way for the staph infection.

 

[TwoCrows]

Some chickens and their environments are prone for bumblefoot to arise. Seems like I am always dealing with a bumblefoot case around here. If your land is rocky, thorny, prickly or stoney, birds can injure their pads while digging and foraging around. Cuts in the feet lead to infection. High roost bars as well can bruise feet and lead to infections.

 

[Serama Newbee]

I have never de-beaked or trimmed my chickens' toes. I do have a very large gravel drive way which they cross over each morning to get to the other side. I think this might be the main cause. But, as I said, I have only had one case in four years that has ended up serious.