I have only had chickens about a year. I have a beautiful rooster that has become a wonderful pet. About a month ago we noticed his foot swelling, We had been doing construction and thought he may have poked it or something. We assumed he would just get better. It did not, It just kept getting bigger and bigger. We thought swelling? It got really hard on the bottom on the sides and between the toes. He never acted as if it was causing any problem. 3 days ago he refused to leave the roost. When I sat him down he would put no weight at all on the foot. When I looked at the bottom there was a black spot the size of a quarter. I scratched it with my finger and it came off.... Under was bloody looking meat? skin? it did bleed but not much. I did some research and found an article about bumblefoot. I cleaned the foot. Soaked in ebsom salt and with tweezers pulled out a yellow hard mass a little larger than a pea. I thought that would be the end of things. It has had more and more of the hard stuff work out. I also felt "stuff" between the toes. I made a cut between one toe and got out another pea size lump. When I gently probe I can feel LOTS of hard stuff in there. Should I keep probing and pulling out? Should I keep packing it with antibiotic and wrap and hope the little pieces come out? Is there stuff in there that is yellow that I should NOT be trying to get out? I just don't know what to do. Please give advice.
Thanks in advance,
B.K.
Thanks in advance,
B.K.