Bumblefoot, again

[Dee Holt]

Hi I posted several days ago regarding my chicken who has persistent, recurring bumblefoot, despite spending a fortune at the vet having it treated and keeping her in a dog crate. I am actually now soaking and wrapping it myself every other day and putting her out in the coop with the other chickens. Last night I unwrapped and soaked her feet, one is good, but very soft like a baby's bottom from being wrapped up so long I guess. The other had the large black scab on it again and was swollen and pinkish and obviously tender. I soaked it and gently removed the scab but could see nothing under the scab. I squeezed very gently but got nothing out. Could this scab possibly have nothing under it? Also, I would like to know why this is still recurring despite all the care and rounds of antibiotics? What can I do? The vet is not really giving me any answers except keep her wrapped up, in the crate, get rid of the pine shavings, don't let her go outside, keep her on the antibiotics. This has been a month and a half now! Please, somebody, has anyone ever had this happen over and over and what do I do? Thank you so very much. Dee Holt

 

[Amiga]

We had a tough case of bumblefoot in Duckdom recently. It turned out that there was still a tiny splinter in the duck's foot.

A potato bandage was used to draw the splinter out, and within days, the duck was back on track.

I had a duck with a weird looking bumble (quite swollen on top as well as underneath). I took her to a trusted vet, not a duck specialist, but she has chickens, and doggone if the vet didn't find and remove a tiny tiny sliver, maybe a tip of a thorn.

I continued with twice daily compresses of epsom salts in water (because ducks will drink what you put them in and Es is a laxative, hence the compress) followed by slathering triple antibiotic (without painkiller) on the foot, top and bottom.

It cleared up within several days.

 

[Dee Holt]

Thanks for the reply, what is a potato bandage? What I don't understand is how this is going from foot to foot? Is there something wrong with using pine shavings inside the coop? I use the fine ones from Tractor Supply, put down deeply. Also, I have triple ground organic mulch in my chicken yard cuz it had been worn down to just dirt. Anything wrong with that?

 

[Nicole01]

I give antibiotics and I use vetwrap with gauge and packed with a homemade boric acid/Vasoline mix.

I take off the scab and wash the injured foot out well. It works pretty well.

 

[Amiga]

Thanks for the reply, what is a potato bandage? What I don't understand is how this is going from foot to foot? Is there something wrong with using pine shavings inside the coop? I use the fine ones from Tractor Supply, put down deeply. Also, I have triple ground organic mulch in my chicken yard cuz it had been worn down to just dirt. Anything wrong with that?

A potato bandage is a bandage that has some scraped raw potato in it. You put a wad of raw potato (scraped up, not just a slice) and keep it on the wound to draw out splinters. I was a bit skeptical, but have seen recent experience with this seeming to work on a splinter in a foot that could not be seen, and was keeping the foot infected.

The from foot to foot question makes me wonder if there is a place in the yard that stays moist. Sometimes, especially during warm weather, the bacteria count (usually Staphylococcus aureus causes bumblefoot) gets really high and it can affect a number of birds. I use coarse pine shavings with no ill effect with my ducks. What is in the triple ground organic mulch? Perhaps something in that has irritated the chicken's foot.