- Nov 15, 2013
- 32
- 3
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Want to share an experience I had recently that I could find no info on the internet about. I had a hen limping, got her out of the pen to examine her foot. Looked like a cross between bumblefoot and scaly leg mites. It wasnt exactly like bumble foot but the pad was swollen and hard. It did not have the scab so I figured its fresh and hasnt had time for the infection to settle in good yet. I seperated her and refreshed my memory on treating bumblefoot with my notes. I figured it wouldnt hurt to look it up on the web and watch a few youtube videos as well. After reviewing pics on the net I saw it wasnt quite like bumble foot and maybe it was something different. I ruled out scaly leg mites because it was on only one foot amd none of the other chickens had it. There was some scales lifted. Anyway I was confused and said well lets at least soak that foot. Got some epsom salt about a cup and put in warm water with a few drops of bleach. I did the bleach on my own, didnt read aboutdoing that anywhere and it not be recommended but I had no problems. Anyway I soaked her foot a good 15 minutes. Skin was still hard. I defered to put the chickens foot under the knife for a few days and see what happened. A few days pass and I soaked her foot again. The scales that lifted on her skin had softened this time and I gently peeled the skin off with a towel. Once I got to the pad of the foot the skin began to peel off fairly easy. At first I thought well this is bumblefoot and its time to pull this "scab" off. Once I removed the skin there was no infection underneath. It was just raw. No bad smell either. I continued to pull the dead skin off even down her toes. After this I put betadine iodine on it and let it soak in and dry. Then I put triple antibiotic on with some gauze and something like vet wrap but not from tractor supply, I got it from the pharmacy(it was cheaper) the next day I went to change the bandage and it was stuck to the raw skin and I figured it needed to breathe so I cleaned it and put some antibiotic and held her umtil it soaked in and dried, which took awhile. Today when I checked on her she was not so fiesty when I picked her up and her foot is growing skin back and looks very very good. I think what happened is, you know how when you bump and scrape up against something and the skin sepperates fro the flesh underneath... the skin dies and gets hard, well, somehow she damaged her foot and it did look like bumblefoot. But it was not, it was just dead skin. Anyway another week and she should be ready to go back in the pen with the other chickens.
Oh, I want to add if you use triple antibiotic dont use the kind with painkillers ending with "caine" like lidocane or someother type, it will kill ypur chicken.
Oh, I want to add if you use triple antibiotic dont use the kind with painkillers ending with "caine" like lidocane or someother type, it will kill ypur chicken.
