Bumblefoot, Surgery and Follow Up - NY area Vet Recommendation

[Wol1]

We had six with bumblefoot last spring/summer. I used the soak, clean, bandage with antibacterial ointment with vet wrap method, also. It took a long time. By the end, I was changing bandages once a week. Feet were always a bit dirty, but I found that they very quickly form a sturdy new skin over the wound under the scab. A pocket. Their feet a year later look like they never had a problem. I found that the source of the wounds was the bits of concrete and glass that they would dig up in their run by the barn. I had always checked for glass every couple of days, and thankfully, they must have gotten deep enough in their dust baths that they aren't digging up very much. The concrete, I had never picked up as I didn't recognize it as a problem. One day as they were all running over to me, I noticed that they just ran right over the rocks. They definitely don't watch where they walk. I took a garden cart in there and picked up all the concrete pieces. No more bumblefoot. We now patrol the run regularly looking for sharp rocks, glass, concrete, metal. We find these junk piles all over the property (a farm since the 1860s.) Whenever I'm digging and run across this stuff, I know I will find a building foundation nearby. rural archaeology. Been printing off old air photos of the place and marking all the outlines/anomalies I can see. Next is a metal detector! (oops...a bit off topic).

 

[Hiyaherc]

We had six with bumblefoot last spring/summer. I used the soak, clean, bandage with antibacterial ointment with vet wrap method, also. It took a long time. By the end, I was changing bandages once a week. Feet were always a bit dirty, but I found that they very quickly form a sturdy new skin over the wound under the scab. A pocket. Their feet a year later look like they never had a problem. I found that the source of the wounds was the bits of concrete and glass that they would dig up in their run by the barn. I had always checked for glass every couple of days, and thankfully, they must have gotten deep enough in their dust baths that they aren't digging up very much. The concrete, I had never picked up as I didn't recognize it as a problem. One day as they were all running over to me, I noticed that they just ran right over the rocks. They definitely don't watch where they walk. I took a garden cart in there and picked up all the concrete pieces. No more bumblefoot. We now patrol the run regularly looking for sharp rocks, glass, concrete, metal. We find these junk piles all over the property (a farm since the 1860s.) Whenever I'm digging and run across this stuff, I know I will find a building foundation nearby. rural archaeology. Been printing off old air photos of the place and marking all the outlines/anomalies I can see. Next is a metal detector! (oops...a bit off topic).

Dear WOL1,

Good morning and thank you for joining in on this subject. We too also have an old farmstead dating back from the 1840s and it is amazing what the girls dig up. We clean out their run and coop area daily to monitor for any glass or other objects. It is good to hear that you have taken care of the causes of bumblefoot at your farm. With the additional pine shavings on the floor to add extra cushioning when they jump down to the floor it seems to be all spilling outside their coop door it is becoming quite the mess since they like tearing it out of the coop into the yard. I am hoping that Connie's foot will continue to heal nicely. Worried that she still has some swelling showing on the top of her foot in her web between her toes. There is no redness on the pad of her foot or in this area. As you mentioned, it appears that she has a "pocket" where the bumblefoot was and Connie's bumlefoot seems to be just shrinking in size and filling in with a hard callus. I am still changing her bandages daily right now till the hole fills in more. She has no problem getting around and is digging away in the yard. I am thankful that she is doing better. Best regards, Martha

 

[mg15]

Hiyaherc and Wol1 Good Morning,

Rototilling ! Don't know how you can dig up hard clay clods. !

You are both fortunate to have land to expand for those vining crawling fruits and vegetables.
Today we have sunshine, I can take off Almost Red's bandages and look see what has happened since the last time.
I used an edger for lawns to make rows to put seeds in. I had to try something besides digging two feet at a time with my hand held claw/digger/thingy from the stone ages. I actually looked like Mrs. Flintstone out there.
I have Tatsoi that came up all by itself, I had left in the ground last year and there are yellow blooms started to seed now.
Talk later.
mg

 

[Hiyaherc]

Hiyaherc and Wol1 Good Morning,

Rototilling ! Don't know how you can dig up hard clay clods. !

You are both fortunate to have land to expand for those vining crawling fruits and vegetables.
Today we have sunshine, I can take off Almost Red's bandages and look see what has happened since the last time.
I used an edger for lawns to make rows to put seeds in. I had to try something besides digging two feet at a time with my hand held claw/digger/thingy from the stone ages. I actually looked like Mrs. Flintstone out there.
I have Tatsoi that came up all by itself, I had left in the ground last year and there are yellow blooms started to seed now.
Talk later.
mg

Dear MG,

Good to hear that the sun is finally shining in your area. Looking for a cool down and today we have mostly overcast skies. Hopefully when I get in from work I can plant some fruit trees. I hope that Almost Red is doing better.

Wilma Flintstone.....hmmmm By the way the girls also love Pak Choi a/k/a Bac Choi which is also an annual like Tatsoi, but it will reseed itself if left to go to seed and will withstand a hard winter like we get here in upstate NY. I had moved some soil around and it must have reseeded it itself in the soil and now I have it growing in unexpected places. Over the weekend I made a raised bed along their outdoor run enclosure with river rock that is abundant here and filled it in with Peppermint and Oregano, going to seed with some Basil and Dill and then add some Lavender plants. Last year I had it in raised blocks but it did not seem eye appealing so I re-did it for them. Also the herbs keep the insects down. Talk with you soon! Best regards, Martha

 

[Wol1]

Quote:
definitely. Forgot about that. We did that too, although we use straw. It always thins out over the warmer months, as ours kick it out of the coop, too.

They also push it all to the back of the coop while they dig around for the bit of corn I put down (I call it their housekeeping time). Also need to keep the poop under the roosts cleaned up, especially when it's rainy and they are all inside, walking around everywhere.

 

[mg15]

Well Almost Red's feet look mildly better. She will stay in tonite and soak again a.m. and bandage. Hmmmm......not enough soaking, I am lazy when the weather is wet and muddy.

 

[mg15]

Dear MG,

" reseed itself if left to go to seed and will withstand a hard winter"

Hi Martha,
Really nice to read about your projects! We were out today planting and fixing. I mentioned that you grow squash and watermelon for the girls. I had two tomato plants in one hole and was supposed to thin one of them, and I just left the other one there, I will just give the extra tomato's to the girls. Solved that one. I planted a small corn row with a green bean close enough so the beans can crawl up the corn eventually. This is another experiment. But someone has come and eaten one row of corn. Suspects are a squirrel, and one of the girls that jumps over fences, her name is Jumping Dirty White Girl, she is just what her name says. She had one of the tomato plants already dug up after I left. Also, the two okra plants were moved. They need lots of sun so I replanted them. I brought the seeds back from CA last summer from my son's little garden. The mustard greens are growing well. This March I started lettuce under lights, Bronze Arrowhead, Red Velvet, Flame, Red romaine, Winter Density came back on its own. I also started the High Mowing Mild Mustard Mix, Champion Collard Greens and Rainbow Chard. And someone just loves the Lacinato Kale. Hmm. I think a bunny. I released three tonite in the backyard. I am a retired Wildlife Rehabber but there was a need for these little ones to get big and be released. We too have everything
fenced in. The projects around here are unending. We took the shed/coop apart and have moved it up in the back, it is fairly big. I will take a picture of it tomorrow. Well I certainly enjoy hearing about what you are doing there and it gives me ideas also. Thank you.
Regards,
mg

 

[mg15]

We had six with bumblefoot last spring/summer. I used the soak, clean, bandage with antibacterial ointment with vet wrap method, also. It took a long time. By the end, I was changing bandages once a week. Feet were always a bit dirty, but I found that they very quickly form a sturdy new skin over the wound under the scab. A pocket. Their feet a year later look like they never had a problem. I found that the source of the wounds was the bits of concrete and glass that they would dig up in their run by the barn. I had always checked for glass every couple of days, and thankfully, they must have gotten deep enough in their dust baths that they aren't digging up very much. The concrete, I had never picked up as I didn't recognize it as a problem. One day as they were all running over to me, I noticed that they just ran right over the rocks. They definitely don't watch where they walk. I took a garden cart in there and picked up all the concrete pieces. No more bumblefoot. We now patrol the run regularly looking for sharp rocks, glass, concrete, metal. We find these junk piles all over the property (a farm since the 1860s.) Whenever I'm digging and run across this stuff, I know I will find a building foundation nearby. rural archaeology. Been printing off old air photos of the place and marking all the outlines/anomalies I can see. Next is a metal detector! (oops...a bit off topic).

From what I could see tonite of Almost Red's feet, she is going to have a longer recovery of these bumbles. She did not have one on her left foot last fall so that one is new. Just keep soaking....
mg

 

[Hiyaherc]

definitely. Forgot about that. We did that too, although we use straw. It always thins out over the warmer months, as ours kick it out of the coop, too.

They also push it all to the back of the coop while they dig around for the bit of corn I put down (I call it their housekeeping time). Also need to keep the poop under the roosts cleaned up, especially when it's rainy and they are all inside, walking around everywhere.

Good Morning WOL1 and MG,

I hope I find you both well. Keeping under their roosts clean is the easy part and makes for easy clean up in the morning and adding to the compost pile. It is funny that you mention that they like to stay indoors during rain. Our girls refuse to come out when there is snow on the ground. We ended up installing metal roofing over their penned in enclosure and for the most part it does not get wet underneath unless it is a driving rain or we are having a major snow melt, then it seems to flood out in places. They love slopping around in it though. We have a Buff Orpington, Little Miss Daisy that is a prima donna. She is the cleanest chicken and every feather is in place and never has a spec of dirt on her, she is a real beauty queen who always has a lot to say. Best regards, Martha

 

[Hiyaherc]

From what I could see tonite of Almost Red's feet, she is going to have a longer recovery of these bumbles. She did not have one on her left foot last fall so that one is new. Just keep soaking....
mg

Hi MG,

Sorry to hear that Almost Red is going to have some extra down time. At least she is enjoying all the TLC from the both of you. I forgot to post a pic of Connie's foot when we were re-bandaging. It may be a little sensitive since she seems to fuss when my husband is holding her when I am applying the antibiotic. Thankfully the vet wrap stays in place, I find it sometimes difficult to get it off. Have you tried the Vetricyn VF spray? Her foot is definitely looking better. She is such a pretty girl. We take care of Connie's foot in the house. Of course it comes with extra special treatment including her dried worms that she goes crazy for and some extra greens. All she wants to do is snuggle. On a gardening note, I seem to have a small critter, most likely a chipmunk coming through the fencing and mowing down the sprouting seedlings. Right now they are eating the turnips and the sunflowers that I planted. I have deer fencing, with added rabbit fencing at ground level, and added height of chicken fencing on top to keep the ground hogs from climbing over, with rock along the perimeters to keep out an burrowers. The plan is to pick up some landscape fabric and secure to the fence posts. What they do not see, they will not eat. Talk with you soon and enjoy the rest of your day. Best regards, Martha