Bumblefoot

[ChickenJohn78920]

How do I cure bumblefoot? Is it too late if my chicken has a smell of death

 

[Hazelbunny]

I know this sounds gross but you have to open it up, squeeze out all the inside stuff, clean it and wrap it up.
Now you said she smells like death, is it just her or is it her Foot?

 

[Tlmcq]

If ya can get her to let you soak the foot in epsom salt before trying to remove the scab it helps to soften and loosen it. Wear gloves! This is almost always staph bacteria and you don't want it getting into any scrapes cuts or cracks you may have on your hands. There will be a hard core in dark scab that would need to come out. Then kept clean and dry after. They do take a bit of time to heal too.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Greetings ChickenJohn78920,

The Treatment: Non surgical

• Fill a clean dish tub with warm water and 1 cup of Epsom Salt.
• Place the chicken into the tub, soak feet for 5-10 minutes.
• Using your fingers, attempt to gently lift off the black scab/plug, if it is still too hard, soak again to soften. Then, try to remove the scab/plug entirely. It should not bleed, but if it does apply pressure with some gauze, till it stops. All of the scabs/plugs must be removed. (Or, you can do the surgical removal.)
• Next, place the chicken on its side, on your lap. Dry the feet with a clean towel.
• Apply an antibiotic ointment like Neosporin (without pain reliever!), or Manuka Honey, or Colloidal Silver, to a piece of gauze or a cloth bandaid, and place on each of the open wounds.
• Then, wrap the foot in self stick Vet wrap or human self stick wound wrap. (Cut the strips in advance, to have them ready.) Cover the toes, metatarsal pad and around the ankle.
• The wrap should be on firmly but not too tight, you don't want to restrict blood flow.

After care:
Wash the feet under the tap with a bit of mild soap, and change the bandages every other day for the first week. Check the healing progress each time you change the bandages.


The Second Treatment:

Because of the advanced stage of the infection, the chicken may need an oral traditional or herbal antibiotic.

Follow with probiotics, after completing any oral or injectable, antibiotic course.

Supportive Care:
Keep the chicken in a hospital crate for the first couple of days (three days would be better), to make sure that healing is taking place. If this is a rooster, and you have multiple roosters, they will have to stay together, othewise the sick one will not be able to return to the flock.

Diet -
Feed some cooked meat protein or cooked eggs, diced fruit, diced black or red grapes, fresh greens, cooked grains like: brown rice, wheat berries, oat groats, pearl barley, also some toast with butter is good. Always offer moist feed daily.

Soft foods are best while healing. This diet is also good for chickens that have crop problems. Something you may encounter in the future.

If you have poultry vitamins, administer a dose. Follow the product instructions.

Clean fresh water daily.

Keep the chicken out of drafts and windy conditions till fully recovered.


You may want to make or buy some chicken booties to protect you chicken's feet. My rooster and a hen have to wear some due to recurrent bumblefoot infections.

These are my thoughts in bumblefoot...I hope they are helpful.

God Bless

 

[Tlmcq]

Excellent post @Hen Pen Jem

 

[ChickenJohn78920]

Thank you so much for all the information God bless you all as well

 

[ChickenJohn78920]

I know this sounds gross but you have to open it up, squeeze out all the inside stuff, clean it and wrap it up.
Now you said she smells like death, is it just her or is it her Foot?

It might just be her foot cause she did lose a toe

 

[Betsy57]

I have several hens with bumblefoot. One is pretty bad. There's no puss or plug to clean out. It is stringy and kinda gritty. I've been trying to cure it for a week now and not getting better. I soak with epson salt and try to clean it out as best as I can and apply triple antibiotic ointment. All my hens with it are the lighter weight breeds. Most articles say it is usually the heavy breeds. Sigh.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

I have several hens with bumblefoot. One is pretty bad. There's no puss or plug to clean out. It is stringy and kinda gritty. I've been trying to cure it for a week now and not getting better. I soak with epson salt and try to clean it out as best as I can and apply triple antibiotic ointment. All my hens with it are the lighter weight breeds. Most articles say it is usually the heavy breeds. Sigh.

Start a new thread, and post photos of the feet sores. Perhaps it is something else and not bumblefoot. You will get more responses and the points.