Bumblefoot - To treat or not to treat

[5Leepy!]

Hi there!

I was washing my hen's feet today getting ready to coat with oil... the scales on their legs looked a little ashy and like they might be starting to lift so I wanted to do a preventative in case it was mites. Anyway, I noticed black scabs on the pads of one of my hen's feet. Because I'm addicted to this forum and am a worry-wart, I've read all kinds of stuff about bumblefoot on here prior to today... even about how to treat/operate on it.

The thing is, she isn't having any issues walking and there is no swelling. Just the black scabs on her pads. So, should I be proactive/paranoid and treat her for bumblefoot or just keep an eye out to see if she starts to have issues and/or swelling?

Also, she's a mixed breed... part Barnevelder and part Black Leghorn. She's our biggest gal and her legs are slate/black. The underside of her feet are pale, not like the tops and her legs. Is it possible the black spots are just part of her coloring? She didn't like me touching them but she generally doesn't like to be held anyway. Not sure if she was just being grouchy or if it really was uncomfortable for her when I was touching her pads. We got her after she was full-grown and have only had her about 3 months so I'm not intimately familiar with her coloring, etc... like I would be if we got her as a chick.

I feel like my addiction to the Emergencies/Diseases/Injuries and Cures forum may be making me see psychosomatic/phantom illnesses. Perhaps I have Chicken Munchausen's Syndrome? Any advice would be appreciated.

5Leepy!

 

[dawg53]

If she has the round scabs and there isnt any swelling, redness around the scab, nor limping...I dont recommend doing minor surgery. Sometimes they disappear on their own. I've cut them open before when there wasnt any of those signs and found nothing but blood, and a stressed hen. I suggest that you just keep an eye on her for limping, redness and swelling.

 

[5Leepy!]

Thank you... I think I was hoping someone would say that.

 

[fishnet1971]

I had the same situation here on Monday, was checking for mites, flipped my hen over and saw the little brown/black patches. I soaked the feet of 4 hens out of my 8, picked the scabs off like was suggested here, neosporined them up, bandaided them up, stressed them all out in the meantime, etc. only one had any kind of small hole, and it was not infected or anything. The rest were just like a scab with nothing underneath. most of the others just bled a little, or had nothing. They were scabs though. I wish I would have left them alone and just kept a close eye on them instead.

yup, we can get addicted to this part of the site and make more out of what we have because we love our babies soooo much and want to be on top of anything 'just in case'.

read, ingest, understand, and put in the back of your brain!!!!!! my new motto.

 

[SanctusPullus]

"Perhaps I have Chicken Munchausen's Syndrome?"