Chicken has Limp and swolen foot what do I do?

KazaQ

In the Brooder
May 13, 2016
7
3
17
Baton rouge louisiana
Red Laced Wayandette, 1 Year old, not sure on exact weight but looks normal.

She is limping or standing only on her non swolen foot. Will still run away from people and to food. The photos aren't great, so I will try to scoop her up later today for a better picture. Shes rather hard to catch when she doesn't want to be, which is most of the time. I didn't see any sore or scab on the bottom of her foot. There is some dark spots near the back of her leg, but I think that might just be mud. I was unable to catch her this morning to check.

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We noticed the swelling a few weeks ago, but I noticed it was worse in the last 3 days. Shes a very skitish chicken

No other birds are having trouble. In fact the other 2 molted, but she kept all her feathers.

Somtimes the girls fight a little at night and knock each other off the roost. Not sure if this could be the reason or not.

Eats Purina Layena pellets, bird seed, and free ranges all day. No decrease in appetite.

Normal Poop

No treatment so far

I'd like to be able to handle this at home.

The chickens are in a large coop, roost on a dried stick, and have mostly oak leaves for bedding.
 
Sounds like you got bumble foot,which you need to soak her feet in warm water with Epsom salt.Look up pictures online and let me know if you think it is bumble foot.
 
Red Laced Wayandette, 1 Year old, not sure on exact weight but looks normal.

She is limping or standing only on her non swolen foot. Will still run away from people and to food. The photos aren't great, so I will try to scoop her up later today for a better picture. Shes rather hard to catch when she doesn't want to be, which is most of the time. I didn't see any sore or scab on the bottom of her foot. There is some dark spots near the back of her leg, but I think that might just be mud. I was unable to catch her this morning to check.

View attachment 1193289 View attachment 1193290

We noticed the swelling a few weeks ago, but I noticed it was worse in the last 3 days. Shes a very skitish chicken

No other birds are having trouble. In fact the other 2 molted, but she kept all her feathers.

Somtimes the girls fight a little at night and knock each other off the roost. Not sure if this could be the reason or not.

Eats Purina Layena pellets, bird seed, and free ranges all day. No decrease in appetite.

Normal Poop

No treatment so far

I'd like to be able to handle this at home.

The chickens are in a large coop, roost on a dried stick, and have mostly oak leaves for bedding.
 
Bumble foot for the foot of course you can treat that very easealy with these steps
1 catch the chicken and cover her head
2 take her feet and use a Q-tip to pry the crud out
3 once you get the crud out put some peroxide only a little on another Q-tip and rub it on the spot
4 clean the spot with a cloth
5 put Vaseline on it and rub that in and remove any extra dirt/grime out of there
6 this step is exceptional you don't really need to do this but you can. Put some alum in the spot and add water wait a few second and let her go


You can bandage it up if you like
Hope this helps best wishes good luck :D:hugs:jumpy
 
I have had a couple chickens with bumblefoot problems and have gotten rid of them at home with diy surgery (gross, but effective!!). With diligence keeping up on monitoring and cleaning it is the best treatment. Here is an article that outlines what to do pretty nicely.
Also oregano oil has been proven to be better than antibiotics as a treatment. Ropa Poultry is my favorite, their customer service is great too! (NOT an ad.. just personal experience :))

P.S. Since you said she is skittish- you will have much better capturing her at night while she is in the coop. It is also a good time for treatment since chickens are, in general, calmer at night.
 
Thanks for the quick replies!

Alum?

Also what should i bandage the foot with?

I havent seen a sore on it at all, so when i catch her tonite if there isnt one could it still be bumble foot?

Bumble foot for the foot of course you can treat that very easealy with these steps
1 catch the chicken and cover her head
2 take her feet and use a Q-tip to pry the crud out
3 once you get the crud out put some peroxide only a little on another Q-tip and rub it on the spot
4 clean the spot with a cloth
5 put Vaseline on it and rub that in and remove any extra dirt/grime out of there
6 this step is exceptional you don't really need to do this but you can. Put some alum in the spot and add water wait a few second and let her go


You can bandage it up if you like
Hope this helps best wishes good luck :D:hugs:jumpy
 
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Heres a shot of her foot. We wiped it off and bandaged it last night. Im reading around more and it seems like some people are saying you have to squeeze the juice out. Is that what you meant by pry the crud out? Or is just cleaning & dressing the wound helpful here?
 

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Yes, that is bumblefoot from the large scab on the foot pad, and the swelling on top between the toes. I would bring her inside and get her a daily warm soak of Epsom salts water or betadine and water. Then get together supplies of vet wrap cut into 1 inch strips, gauze, plain triple antibiotic ointment (neosporin,) betadine to clean the wound, and a diposable scalpel from the feed store. The goal is to get all of the solid pus core out of the scab. There are videos available from TheChickenChick.com if you Google "bumblefoot in chickens."
 
Basically you have to take the scab off and then squeeze and irrigate all of the pus out. Usually there is a 'kernel' of white infection that needs to be removed from inside the wound too. I have cut it out with a scalpel but also pulled it out with sterilized tweezers. The small black spot on her other foot should be cleaned also but it won't have the pus or kernel the big spot on the other foot has. You want the foot to heal from the inside out.

After you clean it up and put an antibacterial on it then pack and dress the wound. Ideally check once a day and see how it looks and re-bandage if necessary, until she starts healing on her own. It is easy for bumblefoot to return so you have to keep a close eye on it.

You might want to check out your other chickens too, since it's easier to get rid of while the infection is smaller.

Good luck! Hope your chicken is feeling better soon.
(& Happy Thanksgiving :))
 

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