Bumblefoot- How aggressive to treat this?

[Fluffy_Feathers]

My hen, Maude, has bumblefoot on both feet for the second time. About this time last year she got it for the first time. The last time it wasn't as bad as this, but I removed the scabs and treated with tricide-neo and it did the trick. Since then, I have learned that if there isn't any redness, swelling, or heat, then removing the scab may not be the best idea because that means there is no infection. I'm hesitant about that advice because when she first got bumblefoot there was never any redness, heat, or swelling, but the scabs did get bigger in the few days while I was waiting for the tricide-neo. But I'll go ahead and ask what would be the best course for her current bumblefoot.

There is no heat, redness, or swelling, but the scabs are bigger than last time. Should I go ahead with my usual treatment of removing the scab and using tricide-neo and all that, or would something less invasive be best? I'm wary about not treating bumblefoot aggressively because it could get worse and could get harder to treat.

 

[Sarahh_Janeyy]

The first time we dealt with bumble- we freaked out. There wasn't a lot of redness and swelling, and it basically looked like your pictures here. STILL, we soaked almost every day with tricide neo, epsom salts, and betadine, flushed it with vetricyn, and packed it with neosporin- it took a long time to get the scabs off this way. It wasn't until we found Prid drawing salve that it got a bit easier. Highly recommend trying prid salve and wrapping their feet for a couple days, then soaking feet again. On a few hens, the scabs came right off after that. A few others needed more soaks. I wish I knew how to prevent it from happening altogether- we looked over every inch of the run and coop and tried to make all the modifications we could, yet still the same chickens seem to be more prone to it than the rest. Good luck!!

 

[Fluffy_Feathers]

The first time we dealt with bumble- we freaked out. There wasn't a lot of redness and swelling, and it basically looked like your pictures here. STILL, we soaked almost every day with tricide neo, epsom salts, and betadine, flushed it with vetricyn, and packed it with neosporin- it took a long time to get the scabs off this way. It wasn't until we found Prid drawing salve that it got a bit easier. Highly recommend trying prid salve and wrapping their feet for a couple days, then soaking feet again. On a few hens, the scabs came right off after that. A few others needed more soaks. I wish I knew how to prevent it from happening altogether- we looked over every inch of the run and coop and tried to make all the modifications we could, yet still the same chickens seem to be more prone to it than the rest. Good luck!!

Oh I haven't heard of using prid salve. When the scabs came off, was there a wound left? And what did you soak them in, just epsom salts? Did you use anything else on their feet along with the salve?

 

[Fluffy_Feathers]

I think what I'm going to do is spray her feet daily with Vetericyn- no bandaging or soaking. If it gets ANY worse, any redness or swelling occurs, then I'm going to remove the scab and do as I did before. I may just decide to remove it anyway. We'll see

 

[Jenessa_096]

I think what I'm going to do is spray her feet daily with Vetericyn- no bandaging or soaking. If it gets ANY worse, any redness or swelling occurs, then I'm going to remove the scab and do as I did before. I may just decide to remove it anyway. We'll see

I soak in Epsom salt, put Veterycin, and Vaseline. Then wrap it and do this every two days. This year was my first time dealing with bumblefoot and I treated three girls this way. I hope she gets better soon!

 

[Fluffy_Feathers]

I soak in Epsom salt, put Veterycin, and Vaseline. Then wrap it and do this every two days. This year was my first time dealing with bumblefoot and I treated three girls this way. I hope she gets better soon!

That sounds pretty painless. Did their bumblefoot look like mine? How long did it take for it to go away?

 

[Jenessa_096]

That sounds pretty painless. Did their bumblefoot look like mine? How long did it take for it to go away?

Yes it looked similar to yours. I also tried to take the kernel out every day with my fingers and that helped. It took about two weeks if you do it every two days! I hope this helps!!

 

[Fluffy_Feathers]

Yes it looked similar to yours. I also tried to take the kernel out every day with my fingers and that helped. It took about two weeks if you do it every two days! I hope this helps!!

Ah okay. Did you ever get the whole kernel out or did you just work at loosening it?

 

[Jenessa_096]

Ah okay. Did you ever get the whole kernel out or did you just work at loosening it?

Sometimes after soaking the whole kernel does come out. If it bleeds it’s not ready to come out!

 

[Fluffy_Feathers]

I wish I knew how to prevent it from happening altogether- we looked over every inch of the run and coop and tried to make all the modifications we could, yet still the same chickens seem to be more prone to it than the rest.

Hey, I wanted to share a realization I had. My hen has always had long toe nails. Not outrageously long, but longer than the rest. I never trimmed them because for me personally that's seemed a bit much for a chicken, and it didn't seem to affect her any. But I was thinking about her nails and her bumblefoot and it dawned on me... her long toenails might be causing her bumblefoot! I've read that overgrown nails can cause it but I didn't think it would be classic bumblefoot. I thought it would be bumblefoot near the toenails or something weird. But it makes sense because her nails may be making her to walk weird, which may be causing sores on her feet somehow. I'm not 100% sure this is the problem but I bet I'm on to something here. I'll trim her nails tonight, take care of her bumblefoot, keep her nails trimmed and if it doesn't come back then we'll know that's the problem!

Maybe you can trim the nails of your bumblefoot prone chickens, if you don't already. If there doesn't seem like there are any environmental conditions causing bumblefoot, then maybe there's just something wrong with the chicken itself.