Bumblefoot surgery - with pics and "how to"

[MrsBachbach]

I couldn't find regular epsom salts, so I had to get lavender scented epsom salts. Will the fragrance affect the chicken? Also, do I soak the whole body or just her leg?

regular epsom salts should be found in any drug store, even Walmart. Just ask a sales person. I don't think the lavender would affect them, but I don't really know. If the scent is overpowering it may.

 

[MrsBachbach]

My chicken Poppy had clear signs of bumble foot so I watched many videos and decided to try to excise it myself. When I pulled the big black scab off I was puzzled to not find any pus or cheese like plug. I cleaned it well with Epsom salt soaks and filled the little hole I had dug with antibiotic ointment, gauze, and vet wrap. Two days later this is what it looks like. Any tips and advice are welcome, I feel terrible that her foot is swollen and looks worse than it did to start with.

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Don't soak a foot after cutting it open. You just introduce bacteria back in. It takes awhile for swelling to go down, but if you are unsure you got it all, I would recommend the poultice I described in my above posts. It helps draw infection down, so when you lift the scab, it's usually right there for removal. So you can try that for a couple of weeks, changing the poultice and bandages every couple of days and see how that goes. If you get another scab, then soak the foot, clean it well and remove that scab and whatever may be under it. Then put your antibiotic ointment on, rebandage and change every few days until it is well closed and healed. Again, it could take a few weeks for swelling to go down.

 

[SCOUT123]

Do i pick the dried ish skin off? (The black part)

Also, do I bandage it even if it isnt bumblefoot?

Havent gotten to soaking yet, but i will soon.

 

[MrsBachbach]

Do i pick the dried ish skin off? (The black part)


Also, do I bandage it even if it isnt bumblefoot?

Havent gotten to soaking yet, but i will soon.

No I'd leave the skin alone so you don't open it further. Not going to be able to tell much until you soak the foot and get that loose dirt off. I think it likely did get infected from a cut or something even if it isn't bumblefoot but I bet it is. You can't keep a poultice on the foot without bandaging it. It would help whether its bumblefoot or not imo.

 

[SCOUT123]

No I'd leave the skin alone so you don't open it further. Not going to be able to tell much until you soak the foot and get that loose dirt off. I think it likely did get infected from a cut or something even if it isn't bumblefoot but I bet it is. You can't keep a poultice on the foot without bandaging it. It would help whether its bumblefoot or not imo.

I soaked her for about 2-5 minutes because she freaked out when her feet touched the water. I don't think it's bumblefoot now, but should I be concerned about this? I didn't bandage her foot or apply anything onto it (oops!), but is it too late to do this tomorrow? Would this "wound" (i think) need to be bandaged as extensively as a bumblefoot wound, or can i just slap a band aid onto her

also, WHAT IS THIS???

 

[MrsBachbach]

I soaked her for about 2-5 minutes because she freaked out when her feet touched the water. I don't think it's bumblefoot now, but should I be concerned about this? I didn't bandage her foot or apply anything onto it (oops!), but is it too late to do this tomorrow? Would this "wound" (i think) need to be bandaged as extensively as a bumblefoot wound, or can i just slap a band aid onto her

also, WHAT IS THIS???

I think it may be the beginning of a bumblefoot. Chickens usually enjoy their foot bath. Warm water, not hot or cold. As I said I confine mine to the bucket. I have a laundry basket that fits right over the pail. I put a brick on top of it just to make sure they can't lift it. A bandaide will not stay on a chickens foot. If you just want to soak them for ten minutes, apply some ointment and gauze pad and wrap with your Vetwrap, do that, and see if it makes any difference after a couple of weeks. Just putting ointment on with no bandage is useless imo because it will be gone the minute she starts walking around. I still think the poultice would be more effective.

 

[SCOUT123]

I think it may be the beginning of a bumblefoot. Chickens usually enjoy their foot bath. Warm water, not hot or cold. As I said I confine mine to the bucket. I have a laundry basket that fits right over the pail. I put a brick on top of it just to make sure they can't lift it. A bandaide will not stay on a chickens foot. If you just want to soak them for ten minutes, apply some ointment and gauze pad and wrap with your Vetwrap, do that, and see if it makes any difference after a couple of weeks. Just putting ointment on with no bandage is useless imo because it will be gone the minute she starts walking around. I still think the poultice would be more effective.

How often do I soak her and change the bandage? And what kind of ointment do I use?For the poultice, is it ok to use povidone-iodine instead of regular iodine? How much sugar to the iodine?

 

[SCOUT123]

My chicken won't let me bandage her

. My parents didn't allow me to bandage as extensively as I'd like to, and they limited me to a band-aid, which she and her sister tore off TOGETHER within a minute.
She didn't like the epsom salt bath either. I had to hold her in, and I couldn't use the basket because every time she saw it, she freaked out and ran in the opposite direction. She's usually very friendly and tame, but she's a smart one...

After I held her in for about 3-5 minutes, I applied betadine and she ran off.
Should I just soak her whole body "bath style" to get her to calm down? I'm pretty much out of options now; what should i do? Should I wrap her in a towel this time and bring her inside instead of doing it outside? The thing on her foot looks the same, except for it's browner and yellower.. I don't know, but that might've just been the Betadine. I'm so worried for her.
I know I'll have to wrap her foot, but how? I don't think anyone in my family will know how to properly wrap a chicken's foot but me, if I read up on it. But my hen won't let me lay her down and bandage her because she knows what's coming. She's perfectly cooperative being held and hugged, but the second I lay her down sideways on the ground she'll hop up. How do I get her to relax?

 

[MrsBachbach]

My chicken won't let me bandage her

. My parents didn't allow me to bandage as extensively as I'd like to, and they limited me to a band-aid, which she and her sister tore off TOGETHER within a minute.
She didn't like the epsom salt bath either. I had to hold her in, and I couldn't use the basket because every time she saw it, she freaked out and ran in the opposite direction. She's usually very friendly and tame, but she's a smart one...

After I held her in for about 3-5 minutes, I applied betadine and she ran off.
Should I just soak her whole body "bath style" to get her to calm down? I'm pretty much out of options now; what should i do? Should I wrap her in a towel this time and bring her inside instead of doing it outside? The thing on her foot looks the same, except for it's browner and yellower.. I don't know, but that might've just been the Betadine. I'm so worried for her.
I know I'll have to wrap her foot, but how? I don't think anyone in my family will know how to properly wrap a chicken's foot but me, if I read up on it. But my hen won't let me lay her down and bandage her because she knows what's coming. She's perfectly cooperative being held and hugged, but the second I lay her down sideways on the ground she'll hop up. How do I get her to relax?

Use a towel. When I have to work on a chicken alone I always wrap them snugly in a towel and make sure their head is covered to calm them down. Make sure it is snug around the wings so they can't move them or they will try to escape. Make sure they can breathe even though you cover the head.
NO don't do a body soak. Unnecessary and I don't think the chicken will appreciate a bath every few days. Might make her ill soaking her whole body every few days. An antibiotic ointment like you get in the stores. Like Neosporin. Soak the foot and bandage every few days. Yes, make the poultice with that if you don't have plain iodine. Just a teaspoon of sugar then add the iodine by drops so you don't make it runny. Needs to be a bit of a paste texture. So, just add drops a few at a time and stir til you get it right. You will just have to hold the chicken firmly with your hands on its wings pinned to her body to keep her still while soaking her. I really don't know what else to tell you. Maybe put a sock on her head while you do it to calm her down? Or do it in a dark room? But for bandaging, wrap her in a towel going around and around her wings to keep her snug with a layer over her head. Then you can lay her down on her side on a table and bandage the foot.

 

[bigbird]

Best antibiotic to give after bumblefoot surgery? How much, how often and how long, please?
Thank you