Bumblefoot

[Gojichicken]

Hi all, I just wanted to put this out there, two of my chickens had bumblefoot on both feet and I didn't know how to do the surgery so I took one chicken to the vet and had him do the surgery and he taught me how to do it right for all of those that make films out there please make sure that you've already been to the vet to be shown how to do it right because some of those films out there were totally wrong and I'm so glad I did what I did and took my chicken to the vet. Hope all is going well for everybody!

 

[CuzChickens]

Good to know, thank you! How did your vet do it?

 

[ChickNanny13]

I had 2 Wynadottes with bumble foot, one had on each foot. They weren't limping, no redness, no sign of illness. I called my Vet to see if he'd do the surgery, I wasn't about to. Talked to a couple people & the feed store, most said "leave it alone" and I added more shavings to the enclosure. After a couple of weeks, the pullet with one scab, scab disappeared. The one with one on each foot, scabs got smaller. They ended up going back to their owner who says they're fine, it's been 6 months.

 

[N F C]

Not everyone has access to a vet that will treat chickens, I never did when I lived in FL. I followed the directions found on a thread here on BYC and had no complications or problems. Have to admit, I was a bit squeamish the first time around but the surgery went well.

If you have a vet that will treat a chicken, using them is a great idea. For those of us without one, we often have to depend on ourselves.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I hear what you're saying N F C I'm very thankful for BYC & it's members help!

 

[CuzChickens]

Agreed, @N F C , I am fortunate enough to have a vet friend that will treat my chickens (he even went so far as to stitch a two week old chick), but if I didn't have a vet OR BYC, I don't know where I'd be today.... Lol

 

[newchickiemom48]

I am currently treating a hen with bumblefoot. I started out trying to remove the scab and pulling the core out, but the core was very minimal if at all there. I soaked in Epsom Salts and Betadine once a day followed by a dressing of Smiles Prid, gauze, and vet wrap. Foot is almost back to normal size and scab is getting smaller.

 

[Scratchychiken]

I have about 3 hens with bumblefoot, one of them is at the end of the first stage, the other two seem like they just got it, I'm going to try the non-surgical route first, soaking their feet in an Epsom salt bath, slather their feet in honey, then pop on a gauze pad and wrap with vet-wrap. Basically what you are doing newchickie.

 

[Scratchychiken]

By the way, I have never treated bumblefoot before. I'm sure I know the directions to treat it but does anyone have some tips for my treatment and how to prevent bumblefoot afterwards?

 

[ChickNanny13]

Not sure how to "prevent bumble foot", think it starts from an injury under their foot that gets infected. Will be watching to see if anyone has a prevention method...

The floor in my Enclosure is hard clay dirt which they loosen. Last year I had 5 Wyndottes, 2 developed bumble foot. They uncovered buried toys, glass, wire, plastic, darn junk which I removed. There's the rocks, pebbles & stones that I also remove now on a daily basis, there's alot less since a year ago. I now have 4 BO, they're alot heavier so now I've also started keeping a thicker/cushier layer of shavings (DLM) finding that the "Rosebud" is softer than the "White" that I used in the past. Hoping this helps to prevent any bumble foot....It's just a theory I'm "testing".