Bumblefoot in Coturnix

[brewer12345]

It seems like I have a bumblefoot epidemic in one of my pens and I don't know what to do about it. I have tried reading stuff aimed at keepers of ducks and chickens, but a lot of it is dated (like back to last year when you could buy antibiotics at the feed store) and a bunch of it sounds suspect to me (homeopathic type remedies). This started with one bird limping in this pen, but now it seems at least half the birds have some kind of foot sore. I have been trying to soak them in Epsom salts and spray some betadine on the sores, but I am not sure this is going to do it. So a few questions:

- Is bumblefoot contagious?
- What is the best way to deal with this problem?
- Advice on treatments?

I was planning to merge this smaller flock with a larger one in a bigger pen before winter comes, but if this stuff is contagious I am not eager to do so.

 

[trueblue8364]

So bumble foot is caused from a puncture, sores , cut, scrape even wet bedding can cause a sore. Once the skin is open it lets in the infection. I've never cut one off quail. You need to check your pen (I'm guessing they are on wire?) may be something poking them or an abrasive surface that is giving them sores. The pen needs sterilized. Most common is staphylococci which is very contagious but only if the quail have a sore or an open wound .They need examined very closely

 

[brewer12345]

Yes, they are on wire. I will have to examine the pen closely and see if I can find anything that is poking them. While I am at it I will hose down the floor with isopropyl alcohol. But what do I do for the birds that are already infected?

 

[trueblue8364]

So I found this thread. Maybe it will help!!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-i-fixed-my-quails-bumblefoot.445053/

It seems pretty on spot. I have gamble quail and snowflakes, but never seen bumble foot in them. I've had to cut bumble out of a chickens foot when it is severe, but that's no fun. This thread looks like a non invasive treatment and you can get this at most tractor supplies. Good luck!!!!

 

[DK newbie]

I have no experience with bumble foot, but according to what I've read on here:
Get them off the wire, at least until they are not limping anymore. If you don't have a different cage you can put them in, it might work if you just put some cardboard or wood on top of the wire and some bedding on top of that.
There should be some kind of black spot or something at the bottom of the foot, where the infection entered - that should be removed to get the pus out. I'd search the forum for further details though - I don't remember exactly what you are supposed to do afterwards. Might be soaking in epsom salts. Or maybe that's before you cut the black spot..

 

[RaiseQuail777]

I am not a quail expert, as a matter of fact I just started, but one of my hens had a claw missing on one of her toes and there was a blood mess everywhere from it. I held her while my boyfriend squirted hydrogen peroxide onto her toe and then we applied neosporin on it after. This is what I do with my hawk when he gets bumblefoot, so I thought it might be alright for my girl. I'll keep you updated on how she is doing if you'd like?

 

[brewer12345]

So I cleaned out the cage thoroughly, sprayed everything down with isopropyl alcohol, and medicated the affected feet with Neosporin. As I worked on the cage I discovered that there was a line of exposed wire ends that may have been poking their feet. I installed some pieces of wood to keep them off these ends until I can think of a better way to do this. I plan to give them a daily mop down with Neosporin and see how it goes.

Just thinking aloud, but would a course of tetracycline via drinking water kill off the infection? From what I read online, tetracycline is effective on staph.

 

[DK newbie]

You might be lucky if the infection is in the early stages, but in general local infections like bumble foot very quickly get surrounded by several layers of dead cells and such, which efficiently keeps the blood - and thus also any antibiotic that's not applied directly to the infected area - out. That's why it's recommended to cut it open.

 

[trueblue8364]

Glad you found the source. I can't give you advice on treating the bumble foot systemically. I only treat topically and surgically and only on chickens. I have quail but never had bumble foot in any of them.

 

[Binki]

I have had bumblefoot in a chicken that likes to get on the deck, then on top of the coop roof, then jump off, lol.

If we get another case I plan on soaking the foot every few days in Tricide Neo - i wish I could find the other site where it had several cases of before and after shots of bumblefoot, one terrible case in particular was a huge duck with multiple infected spots.

http://ouroneacrefarm.com/bumblefoot-treatment-tricideneo/

There are also some users of this forum who have reported success, from most of them it seems every other day soak is enough to work, many posts said after a few days the black spot dried up, started wiggling around like a loose tooth and then fell off like the plug you're trying to get out with foot surgery.

I never heard of it being used for quail, would seem to work the same though.

It's actually marketed as a fish dip for infections on fish. My understanding is that it breaks down bacteria walls allowing the medicine inside to effectively treat the infection.