Bumblefoot

[1cutechick]

Thank you. I will get some and try it tonight after I soak her foot. Do you think it will be painful for her?

 

[egghead@1265]

I am battling my own first case of bumblefoot.  After you put on the iodine, did you wrap it or just let her go on her merry way?  Did you put the iodine both on the top and the bottom?  Mine has a large lump on top between her toes and a large scab on the bottom.  I am afraid to cut it myself.  Thank you.

Seems like some do the cutting and others do not. We have done it already, but it's been a few years now that we have had to do so.

We also had a bird with a bumble, who got over it all on her own as well! So, sometimes it appears it isn't needed!?!

If it hens again, we will be sure it's the only option, as I think sometimes it does work out on its own.

Also, check the racks, inside your coop or the run or outside area that the birds go to. Obviously any nails, or sharp objects they land on could cause a problem to the foot!

 

[Amiga]

Thank you. I will get some and try it tonight after I soak her foot. Do you think it will be painful for her?

I don't think the soak will be painful. And I don't think the iodine is painful, either. I have not read that anyone who has done this sees that.

Remember - clear iodine.

 

[lovemy6hens]

Thank you.  I will get some and try it tonight after I soak her foot. Do you think it will be painful for her?

If it's an open wound in an epsom salt bath, it will probably sting a little. Iodine definitely hurts when I've used it.

 

[Attila the Hen]

If it's an open wound in an epsom salt bath, it will probably sting a little. Iodine definitely hurts when I've used it.

You are right. The salt would sting. I used antibiotic cream afterwards. Since it was an open wound I wrapped it. Of course that often came off or got pulled off.

 

[Woobsie]

I've treated bumblefoot on both chickens and ducks and my strategy is to put some polysporin on a piece of gauze over the bumble secured with vet wrap while keeping the bird confined to a small cage with a sheet over it. Every 3 or 4 days I change the dressing and clean the area with peroxide. It will get very soft after 2 weeks and I can scrape with a fingernail (use gloves! ) the scab off eventually or pop out the kernal. sometimes there is no kernal just a scab with flesh under. Flush with alcohol and bactinethen apply a generous amount of polysporin on fresh gauze held in place with vet wrap . change bandages and apply more gauze and polysporin every 4 days. This process should only take 5 to 10 minutes and is less stress than soaking the feet. The bird needs to be left to rest. You should notice the heat in the foot decrease over these few weeks. A hot foot indicates the bird should be on oral antibiotics but I haven't yet had a case of bumblefoot that the heat of the foot did not decrease....and I had a very bad case of duck bumblefoot with 4 large bumbles in both feet and he is fine now. I tried surgery but I find this method very effective and doesn't wear down the bird.
Vet wrap should never come off. A trick is to cut a 2 inch slit down the middle of the vet wrap in the end. Flip one side around and tie it as you would a sling bandage into a secure knot and it will be secure and never fall off!
A gravel driveway is especially bad for creating nicks on foot pads that allow the staph to get in. I removed them from gravel areas and the problem fixed itself for my chickens.

 

[lovemy6hens]

You are right. The salt would sting. I used antibiotic cream afterwards. Since it was an open wound I wrapped it. Of course that often came off or got pulled off.

I'll add the foot should still be padded on the bottom (without antibiotic ointment) and wrapped after the wound has closed. That will continue to relieve pressure from the impact of walking and will help prevent the lesion from coming back. To help keep moisture out, put a piece of waterproof bandaging tape on the bottom. If the foot is wrapped right, the bandage shouldn't come off.

I'll go ahead and respond to my comment "If the foot is wrapped right, the bandage shouldn't come off."

Ha! Wrapping it right?! If anyone has detailed, step-by-step, illustrated directions for wrapping properly, please post. Sometimes I got it right, but most of the time I just got frustrated. I even made a model of a chicken foot and used a thin ribbon to practice wrapping it. That helped in theory. When holding a chicken by myself and trying to wrap her foot when she wanted to close her claws around the padding, it wasn't very useful. I guess I should have made a left foot and a right foot model. Maybe I would have been more successful.

She can be out with the flock as long as she's not getting her feet wet. The bandage needs to be changed as soon as it gets wet.

 

[Attila the Hen]

I'll add the foot should still be padded on the bottom (without antibiotic ointment) and wrapped after the wound has closed. That will continue to relieve pressure from the impact of walking and will help prevent the lesion from coming back. To help keep moisture out, put a piece of waterproof bandaging tape on the bottom. If the foot is wrapped right, the bandage shouldn't come off.

I'll go ahead and respond to my comment "If the foot is wrapped right, the bandage shouldn't come off."

Ha! Wrapping it right?! If anyone has detailed, step-by-step, illustrated directions for wrapping properly, please post. Sometimes I got it right, but most of the time I just got frustrated. I even made a model of a chicken foot and used a thin ribbon to practice wrapping it. That helped in theory. When holding a chicken by myself and trying to wrap her foot when she wanted to close her claws around the padding, it wasn't very useful. I guess I should have made a left foot and a right foot model. Maybe I would have been more successful.

She can be out with the flock as long as she's not getting her feet wet. The bandage needs to be changed as soon as it gets wet.

That's funny about the wrapping. I had the same problem. There is someone who has a youtube video demonstrating it. Sometimes I got it right. I wasn't so careful in the end when it wasn't an open sore.

 

[egghead@1265]

I've treated bumblefoot on both chickens and ducks and my strategy is to put some polysporin on a piece of gauze over the bumble secured with vet wrap while keeping the bird confined to a small cage with a sheet over it. Every 3 or 4 days I change the dressing and clean the area with peroxide. It will get very soft after 2 weeks and I can scrape with a fingernail (use gloves! ) the scab off eventually or pop out the kernal. sometimes there is no kernal just a scab with flesh under. Flush with alcohol and bactinethen apply a generous amount of polysporin on fresh gauze held in place with vet wrap . change bandages and apply more gauze and polysporin every 4 days. This process should only take 5 to 10 minutes and is less stress than soaking the feet. The bird needs to be left to rest. You should notice the heat in the foot decrease over these few weeks. A hot foot indicates the bird should be on oral antibiotics but I haven't yet had a case of bumblefoot that the heat of the foot did not decrease....and I had a very bad case of duck bumblefoot with 4 large bumbles in both feet and he is fine now. I tried surgery but I find this method very effective and doesn't wear down the bird.
Vet wrap should never come off. A trick is to cut a 2 inch slit down the middle of the vet wrap in the end. Flip one side around and tie it as you would a sling bandage into a secure knot and it will be secure and never fall off!
A gravel driveway is especially bad for creating nicks on foot pads that allow the staph to get in. I removed them from gravel areas and the problem fixed itself for my chickens.

Good advice!

Isolated in more darkness, does help healing.

We did this with a feather pecked hen and also for a prolapse hen that needed time to heal!

 

[crizzald]

Newbie here. I'll go ahead and let you know that I have not had a chance to sift through all the threads and replies about bumble foot. I just need someone who may have experienced this to let me know what you think. Is this bumble foot? Pekin girl started having trouble walking two days ago, legs were crumbling under her. Yesterday she could put weight on one of her legs but not the other. Today she is walking with a limp. What do you think?