Bumblefoot?

[cnj-tx50]

Sorry no pics but have a few questions I was hoping someone may be able to answer for me. I had noticed one of my White Rocks limping yesterday but since they free range I was not too sure if she had just stepped on something or not. Then ths afternoon she was limping at most every step. I caught her tonight and brought in to take a look and the foot is swollen and warm to the touch and off to the side was a hard scab. I removed the scab and that left only a hole with nothing in it. It does seem to be deep and seemed to be calaused around it. I filled the whole with neo and put into a cat carrier for the night to rest and will check her in the morning. From what I have been reading I am not too sure if this was just something stuck into her foot since there was nothing inside and nothing seem to want to drain. Any ideas?

 

[chickerdoodle]

Soak the foot with warm (not hot) water for 15 minutes. Often the cheesy core is not visible but you need to soften the area. Apply the Neosporin without pain medicine and wrap the foot. Repeat tomorrow and see if the heat and swelling has subsided.

Here's a helpful link and video:http://successwithpoultry.blogspot.com/2009/09/bumblefoot-chicken.html

 

[cnj-tx50]

Will get right on that. Thank you so much. After searching I did not really come across anything that seemed the same other than the hard black spot on the pad and the swelling. Since there was nothing inside when I removed this black spot just the hole I was not too sure what it might be. Will this take awhile to clear up. Does the infection always happen?

 

[chickerdoodle]

Personally I haven't dealt with it but the swollen and hot area is inflammation from an infection. Typically with infections it takes a day or two to see some improvement but complete healing takes a week or more. I have read giving injectable penicillin may be needed if it does not improve--and possibly cleaning out the hole and removing the core that has developed. Good luck!

 

[cnj-tx50]

Ok - hen #1 is doing alot better tonight after treating last night, this morning and again tonight. No fever in the foot and the swelling has gone down by half. After going thru this with her and not too sure as to how this happened I have been checking them as I can catch them and found another one tonight with both feet and one foot has a very large place but less swelling then hen #1 and no fever in either foot. I have found two more since them with spots on the feet and one with a spot on her toe. We have had alot of rain here and they do free range durning the day so not too sure it the wet ground has played a part in this or not. Never have had this happen in two years of birds. So I am thinking that I will keep them in their yard and try to check all of them. Should I start some kind of medication for all of them? It will be very hard to separate so many at one time to treat. Any ideas on how this could have happened?

 

[chickerdoodle]

Yeah!

Glad she is better--don't stop treatment yet--it takes a while for it to be gone for good.

I don't know if you need to give antibiotics. I would definitely do the soak and wrap to those who need it even if its time consuming. I think you can do a systemic treatment (oral antibiotics) in addition--but it won't work if you don't soak and wrap. I would think one of the "cillins" such as a penicillin, may be best but I would ask a veterinarian for their opinion.

It can come about even by dropping off a perch that's too high if its a heavy standard hen due to a injury. I have my perches only 20" high to prevent it with lots of bedding on the floor. Constant wetness combined with warmth can certainly make infections worse as well as parasites. Consider de-worming soon too.