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

[ackie]

Anyway, I'm sure most of you won't get a notification of this post. I think it only notifies the last person to make a post or something. But I hope this helps anybody that comes across this thread who is trying to beat bumblefoot.

It notifies anyone who has posted or is 'watching' the thread unless theyve chosen to 'unwatch' or opt out of notifications entirely

 

[Fluffy_Feathers]

It notifies anyone who has posted or is 'watching' the thread unless theyve chosen to 'unwatch' or opt out of notifications entirely

Oh that's odd, for me when I make a reply on a thread after a while I stop getting notifications, but when I go back to look there are new replies (not on this thread but other threads that aren't mine)

 

[ackie]

Oh that's odd, for me when I make a reply on a thread after a while I stop getting notifications, but when I go back to look there are new replies (not on this thread but other threads that aren't mine)

I might be mistaken then. I apologize.

 

[Vickischics]

Well, Happy Day!!!
I got the notification. Taadah!
Well, its back! Darn it.
Back to square one I guess.
Since two hens are having this issue, make sure you examine the run and coop for ANYTHING that can cause rubbing, pressure or poking on those lil feet and stump. You can take pictures of the coop and run to see if any of us see a potential danger that your not seeing.
Sand the roost to be smooth as glass. I wonder if covering them with a soft wool or foam material would help.
Make sure any step on tge ramp has round smooth edges. In fact, No edges at all. Make sure the roost bar is on the 4" side for her to stand and sleep on. Even if it has to be 6" so she can snuggle down with her body and take the pressure off the feet.
Keep nails short too.
I think you need to design & patent a soft special casting material for her feet/stumps. Wouldn't that be cool?
Or a lil sling that allows her feet/stump not to touch anything while she roost.
I in vision it to look like a log carrying sling with an area for her feet/stump to hang through. Lol. Too cute.
Anyway, you have all the tools to fix her once again and remove that black scab. It is a tenuous wound but, remember if it bleeds, or the tissue is pink/red that's good because as long as there is blood flow, it Will heal. Plus messages help.
Im actually wondering if she has some sort of vascular circulatory stenosis that allows it to return. I also wonder if this persistent wound isn't a long term effect of Frost bite.
Keep us posted once again!!

 

[Stefrrr]

Thanks for posting the update! It’s good to hear when things get better.

 

[TheMother]

I was reading your posts and replies from the various people. As a RN that loves wounds (I know, that's gross) I can relate the pictures that I am viewing to the chronic wounds I have seen in humans.
When a severe injury to a distal extremity happens such as frost bite, the degree to which the tissue was damage often leads to reoccurring problems. Just like the one you are having with a small black area on the limb that progressively become larger.

The recommendation of soaking in Epsom Salts was an excellent choice. The infusion of sodium to the necrotic eschar black tissue will naturally assist with the debridement of the hard Eschar tissue until it falls off or you remove it. Underneath will show a yellowish/greenish, sticky pus like base.
The Eschar is black and leathery looking such as in your pictures with the edges pulling away. The pulling away edges is the tissue underneath trying to rid the black Eschar scab.

That necrotic tissue is formed when healthy tissue dies and becomes dehydrated. This is a typical result of local ischemia from unrelieved localized pressure that will compress the soft tissue between a surface and the underlying bone or bony prominence. This will lead to an ulcer.
The underlying ulcer may be to a depth you do not know unless measured none the less, if there is any blood after the removal of the black Eschar scab, it WILL heal.
It does take time because it has to heal from the base of the wound upward. (from the deep inside to the outside)

Treatment for human ulcers is to keep the wound base moist, (Not the surrounding tissue) prevent tissue dehydration thus preventing the necrotic tissue cycle. The recommended dressing for this wound on a human is a Hydro gel dressing. It is made up of a starch polymer and 96% water and/or Honey impregnated dressings that contain a medical grade honey that has evidence to encourage healing, moisture and has shown antimicrobial/anti-inflammatory properties.

Keeping the area clean and dry with the addition of keeping the wound base moist will create a favorable tissue granulation environment. If you can find a way to secure and keep an occlusive bandage on her foot that would be a good start. IDK if they sale chicken booties like the ones they have for dogs feet. But, this would be ideal for the ulcer to heal.

The rest of the foot and leg appear to be healthy and pink in color. Gently messaging her leg always from the most distal end toward her heart is best. You can use coconut oil on her foot stump and up her leg.
She would most likely get use to you messaging her legs and really like it.

This is my 2 cents from a Nurse that loves Wounds and Ostomys.

Good Luck, I think your on the right road but, just needed a little extra human wound expertise to get her healed up. Please keep us posted.

You are amazing to tolerate and EVEN, Love??wound care.
how can I unsqueamishize myself ? lol

 

[Fluffy_Feathers]

I might be mistaken then. I apologize.

It's okay. Maybe it has something to do with settings. Somebody else from earlier in the thread got a notification so I really don't know how this works lol

 

[ackie]

It's okay. Maybe it has something to do with settings. Somebody else from earlier in the thread got a notification so I really don't know how this works lol

I found out that tagging a user in an edit doesnt actually alert them.

 

[Fluffy_Feathers]

Well, Happy Day!!!
I got the notification. Taadah!
Well, its back! Darn it.
Back to square one I guess.
Since two hens are having this issue, make sure you examine the run and coop for ANYTHING that can cause rubbing, pressure or poking on those lil feet and stump. You can take pictures of the coop and run to see if any of us see a potential danger that your not seeing.
Sand the roost to be smooth as glass. I wonder if covering them with a soft wool or foam material would help.
Make sure any step on tge ramp has round smooth edges. In fact, No edges at all. Make sure the roost bar is on the 4" side for her to stand and sleep on. Even if it has to be 6" so she can snuggle down with her body and take the pressure off the feet.
Keep nails short too.
I think you need to design & patent a soft special casting material for her feet/stumps. Wouldn't that be cool?
Or a lil sling that allows her feet/stump not to touch anything while she roost.
I in vision it to look like a log carrying sling with an area for her feet/stump to hang through. Lol. Too cute.
Anyway, you have all the tools to fix her once again and remove that black scab. It is a tenuous wound but, remember if it bleeds, or the tissue is pink/red that's good because as long as there is blood flow, it Will heal. Plus messages help.
Im actually wondering if she has some sort of vascular circulatory stenosis that allows it to return. I also wonder if this persistent wound isn't a long term effect of Frost bite.
Keep us posted once again!!

I'll definitely look at the roosts and the ramp, and maybe the lip of the nest boxes. I'll bet that ramp at least has some work that needs to be done.

For this toeless hen, I got a 5 gallon bucket and drilled about 1.5 inch holes all around it and put it the coop for her to sleep in. She does pretty well with that, I just have to make sure I clean up the droppings frequently. The roosts are 4", but she still can't really keep her balance very well on them, in addition with the bullying from the other hens.

I've thought about making her some kind of shoes to put on her feet. She gets around a lot better with the bandages on her feet, though that may be partly because of the scabs and infection getting taken care of it's less painful. I'm just worried that anything I put on her feet will end up rubbing and giving her sores, trapping moisture and creating conditions for bacteria growth and stuff, in the end causing more problems.

Scab removals I have done with her since my last post a while back did result in a fair amount of bleeding. I suppose thats a good sign.

 

[Fluffy_Feathers]

So quick update + picture. Her feet are still looking very good. I think I will keep bandaging her for a couple more days and if they are still looking good and have healed a bit more, I may be able to stop bandaging her and see how she does. If that goes well I'll keep soaking her for another week or two and hopefully she'll be good.

Here's a picture I got tonight of the one foot. She's really come a long way.