Bumblefoot through foot?? Help please!!

[Kathy Golla]

Hmm. That looks like that has been there a while and is quite old.
I would leave the initial removal to professionals if you can. I mean any vet should really be able to remove, debride, wrap that. If you go to the vet ask for some carprofen ( pain reliever) and silver sulfadiazadine cream. Curad makes an over the counter form of the silver cream.
But in general that looks like that could be removed and that hen would be relieved to have that gone.
Going to have to work at it and pack it and wrap it for a while. You goal is to have the whole thing out but it seems like pressing from the bottom you could get the top off and clean out inside and pack it. That bottom part has become a callus that’s probably pretty uncomfortable for her too.
Sulfa antibiotics would probably be appropriate.
@dawg53 anything to add?

 

[Kathy Golla]

No there’s no reason to separate her for this. Well, I mean unless you find a cavern in her foot with a massive infection, then it might be easier for you to keep her foot clean if she’s separated. Depends on how hard it is for you to reintegrate her to the flock.
If you put her back with the flock, You have to make sure the wound stays clean, you clean and reapply meds to the wound often, and the bandage doesn’t get wet. Also, if the weather gets hot, chickens sweat through their feet so the bandage could be an issue for her keeping cool.

 

[twendt]

I agree, that being said, with a wound that invasive, best to separate for awhile. When I was treating bumblefoot, my hen and the others were trying to peck her bandage off, I'm a nurse and I bandaged her foot so well thinking ,"she'll never be able to get this OFF"...WRONG" They're persistent little buggers. I used Vetricyn to cleanse, triple antibiotic ointment, gauze, medical tape and then coban/vetwrap (don't use red!) Chickens can see Red and will pick on it. I used dark blue. You will have to soak her foot in a warm epsom salt bath for 30 minutes before you start to remove the core. Good Luck!

 

[AmyJane725]

Also, if the weather gets hot, chickens sweat through their feet so the bandage could be an issue for her keeping cool.

Sorry, but this isn’t accurate. Chickens lack sweat glands entirely. Their only true way of dissipating heat is by panting. Don’t worry about wrapping the foot in warm weather.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

So I got this hen from a guy at my local livestock auction. He was trying to get rid of these ladies and so I took some.

Later when I got home, I noticed one of the hens had what looked like bumblefoot.. but it went all the way through her foot??

View attachment 1830002 View attachment 1830003 View attachment 1830004

When my other hens had bumblefoot and I tried to treat it. It always came back when I soaked it and messed with it. But when I just left it alone to heal naturally it worked.

I am not sure if I can just leave it alone to let it heal on its own.

How can I help her? Or even is there a way to help her?

She doesn't seem to be in pain. She walks on it just fine, but it may be uncomfortable for her foot.

The one with the large area, to me looks like it's impacted with debris/poop ball (red arrow). Soak the foot in a warm bath, you can use soapy water, epsom salts, chlorhexidine - see if that will soften up so you can work/pry that plug out.
The red circle...looks like an older (possibly) Bumblefoot scab, once you wash up the feet and try to get that big one out, then get us more photos.

Do the same thing with the one on top of the foot, soak well, then see how much you can push/pry out.

 

[coach723]

I agree with @Wyorp Rock , that is exactly what I thought when I saw the first picture.
You may have to soak more than once to get it all out. Here is a thread with some pictures of mud ball (which is really dirt/droppings etc mixed) impactions that are not quite so large.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...acted-pockets-in-chickens-toe-webbing.950954/
Whether bumble or mud balls, it has to come out either way.

 

[LunaMarieWolf]

We woke up and got right to work.

We soaked her foot in warm water and alcohol mix for a good 5 minutes.

My sister wrapped her in a towel and laid the hen on her back and I went to work.

I tried to dig it out but it was stubborn. So I tried wiggling it and it slowly popped out. No blood from the plug. It just has a hugeee hole. Then we worked on the other one and got as much out as we could.

This is the plug after we got it out.

And here she is all bandaged up as we get ready to treat another lady with a smaller bumblefoot problem.

 

[LunaMarieWolf]

Also as we were doing this.

I noticed some weird white bumpy deposits on the feathers under the wattles of the hen.

I know I just got these hens, and it looks like they came with a bunch of problems. But I do want to help her if I can fix whatever is causing this.

 

[coach723]

Good job on the foot! The white things look like lice nits/eggs. You will need a product containing permethrin.
https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Nice job on the foot! That was a very large piece of debris that came out of there, I'm sure she feels a bit better now

I agree with @coach723 those are lice nits on her neck. You may want to look around the vent, you may find more. She gave you good information on treating those, remember to treat the housing where you are keeping her.

I know you just got her and are excited to have her, but it would be a good idea to keep her separated from your flock for several weeks until you make sure she's healthy.