Bumblefoot help

[Esand]

We found 4 or 5 of our hens have bumblefoot. I've read some posts on here about it but looking for direct answers on the best way to treat. I've read Epsom salt soaks..do you just hold your chickens in a tub of water for 15 minutes? Is there an easier way? Then you extract the "corn", then you put ointment on and wrap. How often do you do this? How long til the bumblefoot heals?
What happens if you leave it? How serious is it to the rest of your flock, or how fast does it spread? We have 18 chickens so this seems like a time consuming, daunting task. I will take all the tips!!
Also, is it common for the bumblefoot to be in between their toes as well? Looks like cists or blisters in between their toes, haven't inspected the bottoms of their feet yet.
TIA!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Any photos of what you're dealing with? You said you haven't inspected the bottoms of the feet, so how do you know it's bumblefoot?

Mild cases of bumblefoot often go away on their own, or can be dealt with through just soaking. More serious cases will need soak and removal of the core. It's not something that worsens quickly, but should be dealt with promptly as possible. With multiple birds, I'd prioritize treating the worst cases first, to make it more manageable, I wouldn't treat more than 2 birds at once if I could help it.

It won't affect the rest of the flock, it's a staph infection that got in through a puncture or cut.

 

[Esand]

Any photos of what you're dealing with? You said you haven't inspected the bottoms of the feet, so how do you know it's bumblefoot?

Mild cases of bumblefoot often go away on their own, or can be dealt with through just soaking. More serious cases will need soak and removal of the core. It's not something that worsens quickly, but should be dealt with promptly as possible. With multiple birds, I'd prioritize treating the worst cases first, to make it more manageable, I wouldn't treat more than 2 birds at once if I could help it.

It won't affect the rest of the flock, it's a staph infection that got in through a puncture or cut.

I can take pictures tomorrow but everything I've seen says bumblefoot. I thought I had read that the staph infection could be transferred to other chickens and humans? Is it just a coincidence that a handful of my hens got bumblefoot around the same time then? Thank you for the tips, I think we will soak first. I have a drawing salve...do you think I could use that on the affected area? It's by a company called earthly and they aren't for chickens but their ingredients are all natural.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Clean off the feet and try to get a few photos, and we can assess from there.

Check your coop and run for anything that can cause injury, such as wire on or near the floor, sharp rocks, etc. Heavier birds are also more prone to bumblefoot simply from coming off the roost and landing. Damp/moist conditions seem to cause the problem to flare up or worsen.

I've never tried a drawing salve. The treatment I use is pretty much the one you outlined in the original post.