Bummed over Bumblefoot

[Rainieb]

IMHO based on exp, dont cut into those feet unless you see extremely obvious redness and swelling.
I've had luck with applying Baytril Otic (prescription) for dogs' ears to the black scabs.

Thank you! There is no redness and swelling only little circular black scabs. Maybe I will try Baytril. Does it get rid of the infection?

 

[Rainieb]

Lowering your roost bar will help. I have a large fat hen that seems to get the foot problems more than any of the others. Just make sure to boil it out with peroxide when you remove the top of the wound. I squeeze the wound to get fresh blood, boil it out and then pack with neosporin. I wrap it with vet wrap and she’ll wear it a day or so then I boil it again and cake the neosporin on again. It usually heals quickly.

Thank you! Yes will lower the bar and treat ASAP.

 

[Kathy Golla]

Remember its the Baytril Otic for dogs ears, not Baytril the antibiotic.

My exp is they can have scabs without having the infection that everyone speaks about that you have to cut into the foot. Ive had luck getting the scab to come off applying the Baytril Otic. But really watch for the redness and swelling, if that happens you have to go to Plan B quickly.

Have to look at your roosts/roost height/medium to solve the root cause of the scabs.

 

[Rainieb]

View attachment 1579348 Remember its the Baytril Otic for dogs ears, not Baytril the antibiotic.

My exp is they can have scabs without having the infection that everyone speaks about that you have to cut into the foot. Ive had luck getting the scab to come off applying the Baytril Otic.

Have to look at your roosts/roost height/medium to solve the root cause of the scabs.

Oh thank you for picture. I was just googling and came up with different things. So do you apply wrap with the medicine? I will get s picture tomorrow of roosting bar.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Whatever you do use gloves, bumble foot is a staph infection. There is a non surgical procedure, now to find the info .... Haven't tried it, hope I never need to but the way I would go instead of surgical ... I'm "chicken"

CHICKEN - Bumblefoot/Non-Surgical
December 13, 2015 by Melissa
Supplies for Non-surgical Bumblefoot Treatment, Tilly’s Nest/FB

Here is what you will need to help your chickens with bumblefoot:

• Bath Towel
• Clean kitchen sink
• Gloves
• Epsom Salt
• Neosporin or Duoderm Gel
• Vetericyn
• Duoderm GFC (available online or at your local medical supply store)
• Vet Wrap
• Medical Tape

Treatment Plan for Chickens with Bumblefoot
Fill the sink with about a gallon of warm water and add Epsom salt to create a bath that even you would like to soak in.

Then wrap your chicken in the bath towel; being sure to wrap the wings securely and leaving her feet out. The towel will help keep her calm and also allow you to do the treatment all alone without any helpers.

Next soak your chicken’s feet in the Epsom salt bath for 10 minutes. This helps to loosen up the plug that had built up. The plug is actually comprised of dead tissue and other exudate from inside the foot that develops on the pad of the foot when it attempts to heal. The black “scab” is called eschar. In people sometimes we leave them alone and other times we soften the eschar and remove it gently in order to speed up the healing process.

In bumblefoot, the eschar can vary in size. They are hard but soften beautifully with a nice good soaking. This allows you to work on the plug in a non-surgical manner without this use of a scapel.

A view from above- the bigger one is pencil eraser sized.
Next with a gloved hand gently try to work the plug from around the edges of the eschar on the bottom of your chicken’s foot. If it is not ready do not force it. You don’t want it to bleed. Simply return to soaking for another 5-10 minutes. Give it time and be patient.

The plug should release with a bit of manipulation. It should not bleed, but if it does, don’t worry. Apply a bit of pressure to the bottom of the foot for a few minutes. It will stop.

The goal is to have to plug release naturally without much trauma because right underneath the plug is healthy tissue already working to heal the foot. When that bed of healthy tissue is damaged or cut into you are actually taking steps backwards in the body’s healing process.

The underside of the kernels. No blood just nasty soft tissue from the body trying to heal itself. The tissue on the foot pad looks nice and healthy.
Once the plug is removed, dry the foot completely and spray with Vetericyn. Allow it to air dry. While waiting give your girl some love. She is going to feel much better now.

Next apply a bit of Neosporin to the bottom of the foot pad. Instead of this you can also use Duoderm Gel to fill the wound. Next, cut a circle to fit the wound from the Duoderm GFC, center it on the wound to completely cover the wound edges and then wrap the foot pad with vet wrap. The vet wrap should be snug but tight. You don’t want to affect the circulation and blood flow to the foot. So the toes should be warm even once you apply the vet wrap. Put a bit of medical tape over the end to prevent it from coming undone. Phew, you did it!

Be sure to disinfect your work area and sink with a 10% bleach solution after you are done.

This girl should be separated for a bit from the others during healing. A diet of layer pellets is good, but supplement her with high protein snacks like meal worms and sunflower seeds to help her heal faster. Add some vitamins and electrolytes to the water too. Birds that are deficient in Vitamin A are more prone to developing bumblefoot. For her makeshift home, do not allow her to roost until healed and have a thick layer of pine shavings so her feet are comforted when walking. If she must roost, add a layer of padding by wrapping the roosts in towels to soften where she sits.

Change the bandage in the same fashion every few days or sooner as needed. Because of the Duoderm GFC you can change the bandage less frequently (you can even leave it on for a week if the bandages remain intact and the foot is showing no signs of infection). Also monitor for signs and symptoms of infection that can include warmth and redness at the site, foul smelling drainage from the wound and an overall sick appearance. If this occurs, a visit to the vet is probably necessary for some oral antibiotics and possible surgical wound treatment.

There are many reasons why chickens can get bumblefoot- from ill fitting roosts, small wounds, “splinter” like cuts, scrapes and trauma. It can also be from lack of Vitamin A and Niacin in the diet. For Lucy, I believe that it probably started with a cut or splinter during free-ranging.

For mild cases of pododermatitis, changing to a softer substrate, exercise to increase blood supply to the foot, soaking the affected foot in warm water, and the use of keratin softeners (petrolatum jelly, A & D ointment, e.g.) may be all that's needed. The foot can also be soaked in a dilute chlorhexidine or iodine solution which are available in your local feed store. If there's a break in the skin, then soaking in a solution called Tricide-Neo with an antibiotic can speed healing Dr Michael Salkin

 

[MissChick@dee]

That's "anything'' sharp

Hey....I happen to stand on Anthony all the time...and he likes it

 

[Rainieb]

Whatever you do use gloves, bumble foot is a staph infection. There is a non surgical procedure, now to find the info .... Haven't tried it, hope I never need to but the way I would go instead of surgical ... I'm "chicken"

CHICKEN - Bumblefoot/Non-Surgical
December 13, 2015 by Melissa
Supplies for Non-surgical Bumblefoot Treatment, Tilly’s Nest/FB

Here is what you will need to help your chickens with bumblefoot:

• Bath Towel
• Clean kitchen sink
• Gloves
• Epsom Salt
• Neosporin or Duoderm Gel
• Vetericyn
• Duoderm GFC (available online or at your local medical supply store)
• Vet Wrap
• Medical Tape

Treatment Plan for Chickens with Bumblefoot
Fill the sink with about a gallon of warm water and add Epsom salt to create a bath that even you would like to soak in.

Then wrap your chicken in the bath towel; being sure to wrap the wings securely and leaving her feet out. The towel will help keep her calm and also allow you to do the treatment all alone without any helpers.

Next soak your chicken’s feet in the Epsom salt bath for 10 minutes. This helps to loosen up the plug that had built up. The plug is actually comprised of dead tissue and other exudate from inside the foot that develops on the pad of the foot when it attempts to heal. The black “scab” is called eschar. In people sometimes we leave them alone and other times we soften the eschar and remove it gently in order to speed up the healing process.

In bumblefoot, the eschar can vary in size. They are hard but soften beautifully with a nice good soaking. This allows you to work on the plug in a non-surgical manner without this use of a scapel.

A view from above- the bigger one is pencil eraser sized.
Next with a gloved hand gently try to work the plug from around the edges of the eschar on the bottom of your chicken’s foot. If it is not ready do not force it. You don’t want it to bleed. Simply return to soaking for another 5-10 minutes. Give it time and be patient.

The plug should release with a bit of manipulation. It should not bleed, but if it does, don’t worry. Apply a bit of pressure to the bottom of the foot for a few minutes. It will stop.

The goal is to have to plug release naturally without much trauma because right underneath the plug is healthy tissue already working to heal the foot. When that bed of healthy tissue is damaged or cut into you are actually taking steps backwards in the body’s healing process.

The underside of the kernels. No blood just nasty soft tissue from the body trying to heal itself. The tissue on the foot pad looks nice and healthy.
Once the plug is removed, dry the foot completely and spray with Vetericyn. Allow it to air dry. While waiting give your girl some love. She is going to feel much better now.

Next apply a bit of Neosporin to the bottom of the foot pad. Instead of this you can also use Duoderm Gel to fill the wound. Next, cut a circle to fit the wound from the Duoderm GFC, center it on the wound to completely cover the wound edges and then wrap the foot pad with vet wrap. The vet wrap should be snug but tight. You don’t want to affect the circulation and blood flow to the foot. So the toes should be warm even once you apply the vet wrap. Put a bit of medical tape over the end to prevent it from coming undone. Phew, you did it!

Be sure to disinfect your work area and sink with a 10% bleach solution after you are done.

This girl should be separated for a bit from the others during healing. A diet of layer pellets is good, but supplement her with high protein snacks like meal worms and sunflower seeds to help her heal faster. Add some vitamins and electrolytes to the water too. Birds that are deficient in Vitamin A are more prone to developing bumblefoot. For her makeshift home, do not allow her to roost until healed and have a thick layer of pine shavings so her feet are comforted when walking. If she must roost, add a layer of padding by wrapping the roosts in towels to soften where she sits.

Change the bandage in the same fashion every few days or sooner as needed. Because of the Duoderm GFC you can change the bandage less frequently (you can even leave it on for a week if the bandages remain intact and the foot is showing no signs of infection). Also monitor for signs and symptoms of infection that can include warmth and redness at the site, foul smelling drainage from the wound and an overall sick appearance. If this occurs, a visit to the vet is probably necessary for some oral antibiotics and possible surgical wound treatment.

There are many reasons why chickens can get bumblefoot- from ill fitting roosts, small wounds, “splinter” like cuts, scrapes and trauma. It can also be from lack of Vitamin A and Niacin in the diet. For Lucy, I believe that it probably started with a cut or splinter during free-ranging.

For mild cases of pododermatitis, changing to a softer substrate, exercise to increase blood supply to the foot, soaking the affected foot in warm water, and the use of keratin softeners (petrolatum jelly, A & D ointment, e.g.) may be all that's needed. The foot can also be soaked in a dilute chlorhexidine or iodine solution which are available in your local feed store. If there's a break in the skin, then soaking in a solution called Tricide-Neo with an antibiotic can speed healing Dr Michael Salkin

Thank you! Think I’ll try to go the non-surgical route for now. Don’t want to hurt them!

 

[MissChick@dee]

Greetings Rainieb,

I've dealt with bumble foot quite a bit. Both in roosters and hens.

Bumble foot is simply a break in the skin, where bacteria enter and cause infection that goes unnoticed for awhile. It is most commonly caused by staph bacteria.

Bacteria is everywhere in the environment. No amount of cleaning can eliminate it, in a natural environment. Wild birds, insects, rodents and even a simple breeze, keeps bacteria and viruses mobile. Chickens themselves harbor many different bacteria in their bodies, as do all living things.

Perches are not the only way a chicken can get bumble foot. Anything that can cut or scratch the foot: wood splinters, small sticks, rocks, nails, glass, chicken wire, and the list goes on, can cause injury.

And many animals with soft foot pads get bumble foot, not just chickens. For instance, caged birds get bumble foot, their perches are round. Pet rats also get bumble foot. So you see, you have nothing to feel bad about. If you ran around barefoot, you might get it, too. But, probably not...people quickly attend to their injuries.

So, the question of how to prevent bumble foot still needs to be answered.

Protection of the feet. That's it, but how can you protect your bird's feet?

There are many things you can do. Start with their pen and coop. A soft substrate, such as sand or clean raked dirt is helpful. The perches should be smooth, sanding and feeling for splinters and/or sharp edges is helpful. If they leave the pen to free range, do your best to eliminate any debris around the property, that the chickens could cut their feet on.

Other than that, attending to bumble foot is something you'll have to do occasionally.

And some chickens, get it a lot. Like my rooster Mr. Frito. The vet says he just has a genetic predisposition for bumble foot, because his pads have thinner skin. Now, some keepers might just cull a rooster that is constantly injuring his feet. But, Mr. Frito is a great rooster; he is a valuable member of our pet family! So, he gets to wear chicken shoes that protect his feet. Of course, this presents other issues for Mr. Frito. In the Summer when temps are high, I need to remove his shoes for a week or two, sometimes. Or, he'll spend more time on our cooled, backyard patio. Also, some times a little pebble will get in the shoe. He lets me know, by lifting his foot, or limping. So, I still have to attend to his feet issues.

But at least he no longer has constant foot injuries. And if bumble foot if left unattended to, it can cause a chicken to go lame. It can even spread to the body and end the chicken's life.

It sounds like you are taking great care of your chickens, so don't worry so much. Let us know here on BYC, if you come up with another good way of caring for, or preventing, or managing bumble foot.

View attachment 1579163
Sometimes, even a hen will need to wear the shoes for awhile.
View attachment 1579166
These are my thoughts on your chicken's bumble foot issue. I hope they have been helpful.

God Bless

Loving the shoes!!

 

[Rainieb]

Hey....I happen to stand on Anthony all the time...and he likes it

 

[Kathy Golla]

With all due respect @ChickNanny13 your description describes only one type of bumblefoot where the footpad May have gotten punctured by something and an abscess has formed. In that case the guardian will see a lot of redness and swelling.
And in the cases above it’s not common for the infection to be staph.
There are many different definitions of bumblefoot.
@Rainieb I rub the Baytril Otic on twice a day. No wrapping, I just try to make sure it’s a little dried before I release the hen.
Not sure about the wet season, if you have a covered run that’s great.
Expect that it will take a long time for those scabs to come off. A chickens footpad doesn’t have a lot of circulation.