Bumblefoot surgery - with pics and "how to"

[donnavee]

Quote:
I've had the same problem. The 1st hen had a small area on each foot and I did get sort of a plug/puss out of one foot, but not the other. I kept soaking and bandaging with neosporin for about 2 weeks and finally had pretty clean feet. The girl I am working on now has one on each foot and I have removed the black thing but not been able to get any puss or plug - as you say - just a bloody mess and an upset chicken. She is a BO, very sweet and docile so I know when she is upset that I'm really hurting her. I finally have bought some Tricide Neo to try the soak as soon as I get some distilled water. Others on this thread have said it is a good non surgical alternative. I have continued to soak and bandage her feet, but it looks like the black scab has grown back so I know something is still in there. I'm really hoping this stuff works.

 

[Tam'ra of Rainbow Vortex]

Such a useful thread!
I have a chicken with a lump on his head and I feel a little more confident about trying to help him now. Obviously I can't SOAK his head, but he also shouldn't be as dirty there, so wiping with a wet cloth will have to do.

 

[thecatzpajamas]

I was wondering if anyone on this thread knew if the eggs are still okay to eat while the bird has bumblefoot..... I read on 1 obscure site that the staph infection is carried into the egg but it was only 1 place & I can't seem to find info that backs it up. A couple of my ducks had it & I did the 'surgery' & they are doing just fine now.

also.... are some kinds of ducks more susceptible to bumblefoot? only my khaki Campbells seem to have problems, the blue swedish are healthy & happy.....

 

[kittycooks]

Both my vet and the county extension agent told me the infection is local and does not affect the eggs. Thanks again to Ruth with her helpful tips. Here are some pictures of our journey with bumblefoot .

 

[Toast n Jelly]

Quote:
Very well demonstrated! I've done it quite often but have never had a hen with multiple cores...wow.

 

[Snack Giver]

ok i just did this and really no puss came out. there was a big plug that i cut and pulled out. i hope i did it right. neosporin and bandaged feet now. the other sise has a black gash (no plug) that looks like maybe a cut. I didnt cut into it. I don't know if her huge ball are puss filled or just normal. i'm shaking from worry.

 

[Snack Giver]

OK I just finished the other big bird's foot. Her plug was easier to remove since it was my second time. Again, no white pus. Just blood and clear stuff for a while. filled the area with neosporin and bandaged. Both of my big birds (New Hampshire Reds) used to jump down from the top off the coop onto gravel every moring for 3 months until I got the coop set up differently. They did hard landings. Could this be why they each had bumblefoot? Is it possible the other foot has a black gash that has no "plug" and there fore does not need me digging into it? They both had bumble on 1 foot and healing yet black large gashes in the other. Thanks to anyone who replys. I am confining them in the kitch with me right now. I don't know when I should let them back outside into the yard (dirt ground).

 

[Snack Giver]

I really don't know if there were corns in my birds' feet or not. I stopped digging in when I wasnt sure what I was digging into. I have read this entire thread now and think I see that ruth did not always recommend digging in if there isnt swelling. My birds have big feet and the main pad on both are just really big. I don't see swelling. I don't see limping. I do see black colored scabs. so I cut those off and dug in a little. What I'll do is I will photograph them later after another epson salt soak and upload the pics.

 

[Snack Giver]

wow i spent an hour digging and never found a kernal or a hard core inside. poor bird, I hope the triple antibiotic I put in the hole does the trick.

 

[Toast n Jelly]

Sounds like hard work! Btw I wouldn't cut into the foot if there isn't any signs of discomfort or lumps. Once you get the kernal out there really shouldn't be any puss unless there's another infection around it.