Does my chicken have Bumblefoot?

[briannanoelle1]

I let my girls out to free range this morning and noticed my 8 month old White Leghorn limping. I checked her feet and it looks like she might have bumblefoot. The bottom pic of her right leg looks the worse to me but that is the leg she is putting all of her weight on. She can still walk and her leg is not completely paralyzed, she still tries to walk with it but you can tell its painful because then she sits for a while.

Yesterday she seemed just fine. She's eating and drinking normally, she laid an egg yesterday and quite possibly today (not sure if that one was from her sister). She's the top girl in the pecking order too so they are not picking on her or anything yet, they're actually hanging out with her and sitting next to her.

I'm going to put all fresh bedding in today clean her feet and soak in epsom salt and wrap in a bandage.

Any advice on what to do would be helpful. Also if anyone can confirm by the pics that it is bumblefoot.

Thanks!




Left Leg:



Right Leg:

 

[MrsBrooke]

That is definitely bumblefoot.

You can treat it by taking her to a vet, cutting the infection out yourself, or I've read of some non-invasive/non-surgical treatments, too.

It depends on what you want to do, what you can afford, and what you're willing to do.

I have personally done surgery on a chicken for bumblefoot. I got a little lightheaded during, but got through it... Helps to have a second pair of hands to hold and pet on your patient.

There are some excellent (horrible?) videos on YouTube showing bumblefoot surgeries. It's a staph infection, so WEAR GLOVES if you decide to do the surgery yourself.

Since she's got it on both feet, you might also consider making her a chicken sling to let her heal and get some weight off her little foot pads.

Let us know what you want to do!

MrsB

 

[briannanoelle1]

That is definitely bumblefoot.

You can treat it by taking her to a vet, cutting the infection out yourself, or I've read of some non-invasive/non-surgical treatments, too.

It depends on what you want to do, what you can afford, and what you're willing to do.

I have personally done surgery on a chicken for bumblefoot. I got a little lightheaded during, but got through it... Helps to have a second pair of hands to hold and pet on your patient.

There are some excellent (horrible?) videos on YouTube showing bumblefoot surgeries. It's a staph infection, so WEAR GLOVES if you decide to do the surgery yourself.

Since she's got it on both feet, you might also consider making her a chicken sling to let her heal and get some weight off her little foot pads.

Let us know what you want to do!

MrsB

So I ended up going the non-surgical route for now. I soaked her feet in a warm bath with Epsom Salt and sprayed Vetericyn on both feet and wrapped them with gauze to keep them clean. I'm going to try to do this every day until I see some improvement. If no improvement within a week, I'm going to go the surgical route.

 

[MrsBrooke]

You can make an ointment of coconut oil and turmeric to put on her feet. Feed her crushed boiled eggs mixed with turmeric.

Turmeric is an excellent antibiotic and has been shown to be effective in staph infections.

You're doing a great job.

MrsB

 

[briannanoelle1]

You can make an ointment of coconut oil and turmeric to put on her feet. Feed her crushed boiled eggs mixed with turmeric.

Turmeric is an excellent antibiotic and has been shown to be effective in staph infections.

You're doing a great job.

MrsB

That's an excellent idea!! I love doing natural home remedies when I can. How much turmeric should I give her??

 

[MrsBrooke]

No dosage. Just make a golden paste!

MrsB

 

[Wyorp Rock]

You can make an ointment of coconut oil and turmeric to put on her feet. Feed her crushed boiled eggs mixed with turmeric.

Turmeric is an excellent antibiotic and has been shown to be effective in staph infections.

You're doing a great job.

MrsB

@MrsBrooke this is interesting! Will keep an eye on this thread to see how OP does. Love to see alternative methods used.

Also a while back found some people have success using clear iodine as well. I've mainly seen it when dealing with ducks, but it may be worth a try. I have one hen I'm keeping an eye on and was thinking of trying the clear iodine first before cutting.

POST #14 by @Amiga ""The clear iodine method is - soak the foot for at least half an hour (some use Epsom salt water) - apply a few drops of clear iodine to the center of the bumble, let dry - keep the duck out of water for several days (some may not do this) - a scab should form, then soak the foot well again, and try pealing the edge of the scab. It may come off, lifting the pus out with it. If it doesn't, or not all the yuck comes out, rinse well, apply a few more drops of clear iodine, and wait a few more days.""
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1126551/bumblefoot-and-urgent

 

[Amiga]

Miss Lydia has used clear iodine on a chicken I believe. This device I am using won't tag her, so please contact her.

 

[MrsBrooke]

Miss Lydia has used clear iodine on a chicken I believe. This device I am using won't tag her, so please contact her.

@Miss Lydia , your assistance is requested.

MrsB

 

[MESOFRUFFEH]

I have been treating 2 hens with bumblefoot. I operated on the first one the first go around (which I HATED doing), but I guess I didn't get everything out? It seemed to come back about a week later and the black scab reappeared, despite being wrapped up fairly well. I am thinking I didnt get the core out. I was reading about all these people using PRID drawing salve. I googled it and the can looked familiar. My dad always has drawing salve around, so i asked him if he had any. he didn't have PRID, but he had some petro carbo salve, which I don't think is exactly the same as PRID, but I decided to use it anyways.

Well, a few days later I unbandaged her feet and one of them was healed up enough to leave the bandage off, and the other which had a much larger infection, looked like it needed a bit more time, but had improved greatly. I plan on changing her bandage tonight so I will scope it out.

The 2nd hen I am treating I decided NOT to operate on. Her bumblefoot is a bit worse than the first hen. She had a smaller scab on one of her feet that came off easily, but all the gunk is still up in her foot. I cleaned it and applied the salve to the hole and bandaged her up. The other scab on her other foot was not going to budge without a razor blade, so I cleaned it with iodine and lathered it in salve and wrapped it up. Going to check on hers tonight too and see how it looks.

I would rather not do surgery if I can keep from it. I know chickens are so stoic when it comes to pain, but really, that has to be awful to go thru. I am really hoping this works. You might want to give it a try too, you might not, but doesn't hurt to mention it I guess. I am open to hearing about any other non-surgical methods of bumblefoot treatment so i will be following this thread!

***Edit**** i would like to add that the salve I have is OLD OLD OLD, I am not sure they still make this particular formula anymore. Carbolic Acid is the main ingredient in what I am using, the newer petro carbo salve seems to have phenol as the active ingredient.