Chicken with odd scab on foot starting to smell rotten...

[Fluffy_Feathers]

I could be totally wrong, it could be bone infection or even if it is debris that's hardened in there it's possible that the skin is infected underneath all that. You just don't know unless you take a look.

If you work on it, have someone take some photos - yes, I probably have a morbid curiosity, but photos are also educational to me and others that are here on your thread and that may read it in the future as well.

I'll be sure to take photos. I'm curious myself even though I'm also terrified it's something super serious. I'll work on her first thing in the morning since it's getting kind of late now. I figure she'll be okay for one more night.

When I do begin to work on her, how much Epsom salt should I use?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'll be sure to take photos. I'm curious myself even though I'm also terrified it's something super serious. I'll work on her first thing in the morning since it's getting kind of late now. I figure she'll be okay for one more night.

When I do begin to work on her, how much Epsom salt should I use?

Follow the directions for foot soak on your Epsom salts package.

 

[micstrachan]

Just throwing in my 2¢, as well. I think it looks like bumblefoot, but agree the smell is concerning. I’d be tempted to do the soak and neosporin to soften it up and see if anything comes off with gentle rubbing. Of course, as the others have said, and Avian Vet would be best, if that is an option.

 

[Eggcessive]

I think it might be where the phalanges (toes) have joints, and the joint capsule or the end of the bone/cartilage of the toe or leg bone that had become infected. I agree with warm soaks for as long as she will tolerate, and rubbing the scab with a clean cloth to try and remove any infected tissue. Then use Betadine (sold at Walmart as Equate First Aid Antiseptic or povidone iodine.) Hibiclens or chlorhexidene and water is also a good antiseptic.

 

[Fluffy_Feathers]

Update
Thank you to everyone who replied. I let her soak in an Epsom salt bath for about 30 minutes (I was going to go longer but she pooped in the water). The scab didn't soften at all really, but it did come loose toward the base. I can now rock it back as if it's on a hinge. I didn't try to take it off, I just left it there for now. I sprayed some Vetericyn and put some Triple Antibiotic on it and inside where it's coming loose (I don't have any Betadine on hand). I did my best to wrap it, it doesn't look pretty but it's functional. I'll unwrap and check it tomorrow, and give her another bath.

If you work on it, have someone take some photos

I did get a picture of what was under the loose part.

(Don't worry, I washed my hands before and after touching)

I'm not quite sure what I'm looking at there...Bone? Flesh?

 

[Eggcessive]

It kind of looks like cartilage. If the ends curl up again with next soak, try to slightly trim them. Then disinfect it.

 

[coach723]

Keep working at it, hopefully the veterycin and ointment will help soften it too.
I can't tell either, it may be pus, or tissue. Regardless, all that black, hard stuff needs to come off. Hopefully as more comes away we'll be able to see more what is going on.

 

[Fluffy_Feathers]

It kind of looks like cartilage. If the ends curl up again with next soak, try to slightly trim them. Then disinfect it.

Okay I'll try, thank you

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Just throwing in my 2¢, as well. I think it looks like bumblefoot, but agree the smell is concerning. I’d be tempted to do the soak and neosporin to soften it up and see if anything comes off with gentle rubbing. Of course, as the others have said, and Avian Vet would be best, if that is an option.

This looks like bumblefoot to me too but it's quite advanced. I think at home treatments are most effective before it gets severe. I've been down that road, and unfortunately even vet visits didn't fix my severely advanced hen's bumblefoot. However, I caught it early in another hen and a combo of soaking in Tricide-neo (for external skin infections on fish) and oral antibiotics (SMZ-TMP suspension) improved it substantially without surgery. I'd 100% start with a vet if you can though, because as others said, the smell is not good.

Since she has no way of reducing weight on her feet, I'd definitely consider applying silver sulfadiazine cream or triple antibiotic ointment and wrapping the foot throughout the day. If it is resolved, I'd still wrap the stumps full time to help alleviate pressure sores, discomfort, and future bumblefoot.

Edit: Here is more info on appropriate medications and treatment: http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/bumblefoot

I see folks recommend vetricyn, but this is a wound cleaner, and not an antibiotic in anyway. This looks to be an injury that is beyond what little Vetricyn could do, which is only to keep it soft.

Edit: This advice seems more on par with what many members of this community have tried: https://www.tillysnest.com/2015/12/non-surgical-bumblefoot-treatment-html/

 

[Fluffy_Feathers]

Update #2
Today I did the same thing as I did yesterday. I soaked her, and I was able to do so for a full hour this time. It's slowly but surely coming more loose! The base is coming up from the skin and I can just see the flesh underneath through a small hole. I still put Vetericyn on it, if anything just to keep it soft, as well as triple antibiotic. I bandaged it and will repeat tomorrow. The bottom of the scab is pretty packed in from her walking on it, so it's having a hard time coming loose.

In this picture you can see the hole. It appears that the cartilage looking stuff is going to come out with the scab. The base is also starting to look like that of a bumblefoot scab, so thank you guys for the info on bumblefoot!

She is continuing to act normal and is active. I had to let her out of her cage for a while so she could go lay an egg, and she wasted no time; she had to lay it badly!

Today I'm cautiously optimistic. Everything continues to look okay, save for the gigantic scab. I hope I can get the scab off tomorrow, or at least the next day.

I do have a question though. When I get it off, there's probably going to be a big hole. Should I just wrap it like I have been doing, or do I need to do something else?