Confused on Bumblefoot - assistance needed.

[HennysMom]

Question for you experts please:

In this posting:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=73661

Okay so I'm looking at these pics the OP posted and I was cleaning my girls yesterday and noticed 3 out of 6 have some little scabs on 1 of each of their feet. The biggest area is about the size of half a pencil eraser top that I noticed..it looks like a callous kind of. ?? I dont want them to be in pain or hurting... I just noticed it so they couldnt have had it too long. Will take pics when I return later today.

I'm confused because some say this (these pics) ARE bumble and others say its NOT bumble.

If I need to treat my girls... I need to know if this is or is not bumblefoot??

Help.. please.

Thanks.

 

[Shanay235]

I had a guniea pig with chronic bumblefoot once and that pic does not look like bumblefoot to me. That looks more like a callous.
Bumblefoot will get red, swollen, and ooze.

 

[HennysMom]

So they get callouses on their pads then?

See... thats why I'm confused. I didnt get to take pics yesterday (was gone most of the day) so will get them today when DH gets home and post for those to see.

Nothing is red and/or oozing...but they are "scabby" - like a callous would be.

I tried searching for bumblefoot on here to look at other pics and all the pics were removed so I couldnt really SEE any other ones other than these that were posted.

Anyone else have current pics they'd like to share on the difference of Bumblefoot and a callous (if there is a difference?)

Thanks!

 

[Shanay235]

I don't have any pics but for what it's worth, my three week old goslings are starting to develope this callous. They've been getting to spend more and more time outside walking on different textured surfaces and I noticed it while they were in the pool yesterday.

If it were bumblefoot, it would look infected and it would be painful to walk.

 

[Attack Chicken]

My hen had bumblefoot awhile back. I fixed it but it returned. I just let it go and it healed itself with a little neosporin here and there.

 

[Ladyhawke1]

First, Bumble Foot is painful. You will see your birds limping or holding their feet up. The area on the bottom of the foot will become red and swollen. If squeezed may express some pus. It will crust over into a scab. Chickens are already warm creatures they carry a high temperature but the foot will feel extremely hot.

These things are usually cause by the perches you use. I really have a hard time excepting the 2” X 2” squares or small round diameters used by some. I suppose some have no problems with these perches. The bird repeatedly bumps the foot and needs to keep adjusting their weight to achieve their balance. Then the foot gets tender, then raw, and small cuts show up. If there is no relief and they, as they will do they step in feces….here is where the infection can start.

First, the wound needs to be cleansed. The scab needs to be removed and the pus expressed out. Medication needs to be “inserted” directly into the wound. This must be done once or twice a day, every day until healed. The perch needs to be replaced immediately, or temporarily padded.

Now some fervent chicken ranchers will start screaming that they will not pamper their birds…so be it. Then I say just kill them when they go lame and keep killing them until they get decent roosts.

As the wound get better it will granulate over. You will see it heal. With quick intervention, you birds will be fine with no deficit.

 

[HennysMom]

well their regular inside roost is a 2X4 turned on its side and sanded to smooth the edges. Outside they do have roosts that are made from tree branches that they simply adore - I'll check them again to ensure nothing is poking their feet today.

Pads are nice and "white/yellow" looking - nothing nasty, but again, they do have those callouses on 1 foot each, and they are not walking funny or acting like they're hurting at all. Their coop and run is kept meticulously clean (I'm weird that way) so they are never standing in any type of feces for longer than about 2 days, ever. Its always raked out on Tues, Thurs and Sun, and its natural dirt with play sand added for absorbtion issues (and DE). Bedding in coop is Pine shavings along with DE, they do have a droppings board so all droppings are away from their feet there as well.

If I could hold them and take a pic myself I would, but..will have to wait until later.

If I have to soak their feet (I cleaned them with warm water the other day and they didnt like it at all) - how long do I soak them and exactly HOW do you do that? I mean, do I put them in a tub? How much Epsomn salt if needed? What type of med to I use? Obviously Neosporin with no benzocaine to coat but - exactly how do you bandage a chickens foot without them going insane with getting it off? Can you use liquid bandage or something similar?

 

[Ladyhawke1]

Quote:
You will know Bumble Foot if they have it. Your perches sound fine and your cleaning sounds meticulous.

I cannot tell you what the others would do but you wrap the bird in a towel or at least put a towel over their head. If they cannot see, they will become quite. Make sure they can breathe.

You then can work on their feet. You do not have to “soak” the whole bird. Epsom salts is good and you want to soak the feet you just could keep their eyes covered and hold their feet in the solution. You can also soak gauze and clean their feet with it. Any mild soap solution can be used to clean the wound. The wound must be cleaned and that does mean expressing the pus. There will be pus with Bumble Foot.

As for medications, you need to check that out with a Vet. Sometimes they recommend doing tests to see what meds are best for bacterial infections. However, if you can get an over the counter antibiotic that will not hurt the bird you can do that. If it does not clear up in 5 to 10 days and if the infection lingers…I would then get the tests done to find the correct medication to eradicate the bacteria.

This course of action are for those that want to cure and save the bird and not just cull it.