determining bumblefoot vs other injury - additional pics of other

[llnmaw]

I have a BR pullet, 28 - ish weeks who old began limping about 1 month ago. She walks with a toe touch weight bearing. I asked advice already about her...got nothing, so I'm hoping that a picture might be of help.

She is laying fine, shows up for meals, forages and otherwise seems healthy. Roost is approx 2 feet off the ground, nice soft landing.

Today we looked more closely at her foot after reading the epic bumblefoot post (so informative!) and I did find a scab, though I cannot be sure it was black, her foot was dirty and I picked it off easily. We washed her foot and I can see the small spot where the scab came from there is a pinky little spot, but she has no swelling. The pad looks normal to me. We cannot make her squawk or otherwise seem uncomfortable while manipulating any part of her leg or foot. I'd hate to go digging around creating trouble if there is none, but also don't want to let this go.

Does bumble foot always progress to a big swollen spot? Her limp is no worse, no better than the first day we noticed it. I would think if she had an infection going on it would look infected by now...right? Today we soaked her foot in Epsom salts. Would this be a good course of action to see if we can draw something out? Should we get more aggressive?

The black spot in the photo is just dirt....the spot in question is almost dead center on the pad of her foot.

Thanks!
~L.

So...sometimes what is wrong is pretty obvious! (thanks to those who have gone before me and given such great photos)

In checking my other 4 girls it looks like 2 more have issues, though neither one is symptomatic for anything. I'm planing to go forward and treat as I've read on the bumblefoot thread and see if we can't get rid of this. Poor girls.

These are of the same girl, right and left foot

 

[dmccann]

I have problems with my one hen also ,i have read on here about using drawing salve,do a search on here.

 

[llnmaw]

I'll do that, thanks. So with your hen can you tell that there is an actual wound or is she just limping? Do you know what you are trying to treat?

I feel a little in the dark on how to proceed since I'm not really sure what the problem is.

Gahhh!!...I wish pets could talk!!!

Anyone have a thought to share?

~L.

 

[6chick*start]

2 days ago I did a bumblefoot surgery on one of my Polish girls. Both feet. She had the tiniest dark scab on each foot right in the center.
Didn't want to wait to see what would happen so I soaked her feet twice a day, 10 minutes ea, for 3 days in epsom salts.
3rd day I was able to tweeze the scab right off. Just a bit of liquid puss came out and left a small pink hole. Squeezed a bit and nothing else came out.
Looked for the cheesy stuff people talk about but nothing. Hopefully because I got it so early. Doused with diluted Betadine. A glob of neosporin, a bit of gauze, then vet wrap.
She was SUCH a good patient. Wrapped a towel around her wings, laid her on her side and she never even flinched.
I put her by herself for the night, next day changed bandage with more neosporin. They looked good already so I put her back with the flock. A few pecks at the vet wrap, don't think I will buy neon pink again.
This morning one foot looked completely heeled but the other still a bit red. I hope I won't have to retreat.

About your picture ... what is all that scaly bit on the foot pad? That does not look normal. The foot pad should be nice and smooth.
Good luck, it's not that difficult when caught in time.
This was my first. I completely check over my 18 chickens at least once a week.

 

[llnmaw]

6chick*start :

About your picture ... what is all that scaly bit on the foot pad? That does not look normal. The foot pad should be nice and smooth.
.

Hmmm...I dunno, didn't know it was not normal. I'll look at her other foot and those of her flock mates. Could I have raised the 'scales' by soaking and rubbing the foot pad?

Thanks for your first hand experience with bumblefoot. Was your chicken limping and that led you to investigate?

Does anyone know if the term bumblefoot is a generic catch all for infection in the foot? As in, any wound on the foot with a scab should be treated in the same way?

I just really don't want to go slicing her foot open if I can accomplish a fix with soaking or other application. Does that make sense?

~L.​

 

[6chick*start]

Quote:
Hmmm...I dunno, didn't know it was not normal. I'll look at her other foot and those of her flock mates. Could I have raised the 'scales' by soaking and rubbing the foot pad?

Thanks for your first hand experience with bumblefoot. Was your chicken limping and that led you to investigate?

Does anyone know if the term bumblefoot is a generic catch all for infection in the foot? As in, any wound on the foot with a scab should be treated in the same way?

I just really don't want to go slicing her foot open if I can accomplish a fix with soaking or other application. Does that make sense?

~L.

No, not limping at all and no sign of distress. I just look them over all the time. This 'emergency' forumn has scared me to death

From what I have learned bumblefoot is caused from an injury, any open wound no matter how small, to the foot. They step in poop and voila ... staph infection.
And I keep an extremely clean coop and run so I know that does not matter.
Do remember to use gloves when dealing with staph or you can certainly find yourself in trouble.
Do you have a magnifying glass? I would try looking very closely at what those scales may be.

 

[llnmaw]

Thanks 6chick.

Gloves...good idea! I suppose I should have thought of that on my own, but I fear that I wouldn't have. Not too much grosses me out and sometimes that's not such a good thing.

I added a couple of other pictures of one of my other girls and it's obvious she has bumble foot. There is another one who we only got a peek at and she looks to have the same.

I'll try a magnifying glass to see what I can see about the pad of my BR foot. The scales look a little better today, but still kind of roughed up. We soaked her foot again today and will start in with the others tomorrow (need to gather supplies) so wish me luck.

~L.

 

[Chicken_Pauper]

I have not experienced Bumblefoot, yet.. and, I don't know if a foot injury or a mild case of "Bumblefoot" can heal itself without treatment. The footpad in the picture almost looks as though it is "calloused" -- being rubbed regularly to the point of getting a callous?

If you read the Bumblefoot information, I assume you have checked all the roosts for roughness, splinters.. or sanded them.. or lowered them if they were high. There is a reason that they are getting Bumblefoot, or "foot injuries and irritations".

Have you found and corrected the cause of the injuries?

Good luck.

 

[llnmaw]

Quote:
Good thought. And possible I suppose. They have a dirt run area, a flat 2x4 roost quite low to the ground, the coop is only 4 feet tall I think. I don't know what to think about why only her foot would get calloused.

I have not yet checked for the cause of these injuries since I only just now have discovered the problem! I'm still not convinced that bumblefoot is the root cause of my BR limping.

I'll be scouring the run and checking out the roost in case there is something there that I'm not aware of. I do frequently find an odd old nail, screw or wire in the run area, the chickens are good at digging up stuff that I did not know was lurking under the ground. More diligence on my part will be required it seems.

None of that would explain 1 chicken getting a callous on her foot though. I'm even more curious now about my BR and her limp/foot.

~L.

 

[6chick*start]

I am pretty sure I found the point of injury.
See the salad bar ... a few points of the hardware cloth were sticking out at the ends.
One little prick on the foot ...