Bumblefoot?

[cheapcheepcheep]

Hi,
One of my hens (barred rock) apparently spent the night out of the coop last night. She was tucked away in the back corner of the run under the coop where I couldn't see her. She seems to have trouble walking, and one of her feet stays balled up. I suppose it could be from the cold, but she has been sitting snugly in the dirt, and I imagine that the foot was why she didn't go back in the coop. I've got her inside now in a box to keep her under watch, but I'm not sure what to look for, or how to treat this. Any ideas? It didn't look like there were sores on her foot, but I can check again.

 

[Sjisty]

Bumblefoot looks like a round hard black scab on the foot or toes, usually on the pad of the foot.

 

[nurse_turtle]

Is her foot swollen at all compared to the other one? Bumblefoot will present with a small black scab/dot on the foot pad. Wash her feet well and inspect again for signs of this. She may have sprained her leg/ankle and is guarding it.

 

[cheapcheepcheep]

I didn't notice any scabs. I did rub bag balm on both her feet, and I'm not sure I noticed any difference in the two, or anything that seemed like swelling, but then again, it was very early and I'm not sure what they should feel like normally.

I suppose a sprained ankle could be another possibility. That was my next question. If not bumblefoot, what could make a chicken go lame like this? She seems fine otherwise (even with having been out in temps in the teens under the coop). The coop is a bit off the ground (2ish feet), so maybe she might have jumped off the stairs and landed badly?

I've got her in a large box in our storage room with shavings, food, and water for now. When I found her this morning I was worried she was very sick, so my first instinct was to get her away from the others. She now seems fine, aside from the foot.

 

[thebanthams]

I have a barred rock hen too, a while back I had that same problem. to this day her feet still looks the same. I dont know if its cancer, but she is fine now,foot still swollen and walking around slight limp.

 

[cheapcheepcheep]

Did you treat it in any way, or did it just get better?

I'm worried about putting her back in the run if she can't get in and out of the coop.

 

[20736]

Let me take a crack at this:
She may have not gone in last night because her foot was already hurting her, so lets rule out that staying out caused the incident. I suspect her feathers wrapped around her feet and kept them warm enough for the night.
Does she walk and use leg in question at all? just a little? half the time?
Can she perch?
Moving her indoors was a good move. Keep an eye on her. If the weather was warmer I would suspect foot mites, they get in the scales of the feet and cause swelling and pain. Rubbing the bag balm would have smothered them, they need air.
SO, keep an eye on her and update us. Maybe somebody else has ideas.

 

[cheapcheepcheep]

Yeah, the foot hurting her was pretty much my guess about the not going inside. There was an egg under the coop too, which I bet was hers, so this probably happened sometime in the morning, gauging by when the eggs pop up when I'm not at work.

How long can I keep her apart from the others before it becomes an issue of my having to reintroduce her to them?

Oh, and she walked a tiny bit when I put her in the box, to get to the food. So she walks, but it's very shaky when she uses the other leg. She has preferred to stay in one place this morning (before I left).

 

[thebanthams]

Did you treat it in any way, or did it just get better?

I'm worried about putting her back in the run if she can't get in and out of the coop.

I tried to soak her feet with warm epsom salt bath. it gave her some relief , I have thought she landed hard on her foot, but that was a year ago ! still swollen. but doesnt bother her much anymore ! thats why I thought maybe cancer ?? But shes fine she is over 6 years old, she eats good and drinks. she can perched on her roost.

 

[cheapcheepcheep]

Came home, she was still sitting there, but had knocked over the water, so she moved somewhat. Gave her feet a good looking over, no lesions or scabs that I can see, and no weird bumps, other than the weirdness of chicken feet. The left foot still is bad, and it's like she has trouble extending her toes. I may try epsom salts tomorrow.

Any thoughts on arnica gel on her foot? If it hurts, would that help?

I called my vet today, they do see chickens, so I may bring her in Monday, depending on how things go.