Duck bedding to prevent bumblefoot…tired of bumblefoot!

[HennyPenny44]

If foxes are the main issue, have you tried electric poultry netting?

Yes, my chickens are in our electric fence but I may just try it out on my ducks while my chickens take the stationary run…great idea! I need netting on top of the electric fence area at all times due to hawks too.

 

[Jenbirdee]

I agree that the bumblefoot is more because of the mud, and not necessarily the bedding. I have used pine shavings and hay for 8 years and have never had any issues with bumblefoot. But, my ducks free range in a fenced garden during the day. Would it be possible to create a fenced free range area they can spend some time in during the day to give their coop a break? My first fence was just those green stakes with metal fencing on it.

just curious how does mud cause bumble?

 

[Red Horse]

I don't know anything about ducks but I know that with chickens, diet can play a major role in bumblefoot infections. If they're not getting a balanced ration and are getting a lot of treats (especially carb heavy ones), it makes them a lot more susceptible to infection because it causes vitamin/mineral deficiencies. Obesity can cause it too. Idk if this is the same for all big birds or not.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

just curious how does mud cause bumble?

The way I understand it is that bumblefoot is a bacterial infection of a small cut. Mud doesn’t cause the cut but it would provide a place for the bacteria to thrive. So, once a small cut happens if they are constantly standing in a muddy, poopy pen it would make sense to me that it is more likely to get infected.

 

[CrystalAnon]

The way I understand it is that bumblefoot is a bacterial infection of a small cut. Mud doesn’t cause the cut but it would provide a place for the bacteria to thrive. So, once a small cut happens if they are constantly standing in a muddy, poopy pen it would make sense to me that it is more likely to get infected.

Agreed! The only time my chickens got bumble foot was last summer when I had the treated wood roost & it was raining tons. They love running around our woods, but there are thorny vines. The vines, wet conditions & treated wood was a terrible combo.
Looking forward to switching to sand in the coop soon. There is tons of sand here, but I need to find some larger sand than what we have on our property. Like somewhere closer to the beach. It gets silty when it rains here on our property’s extremely fine sand. It’s great with drainage though.

 

[CoriM]

Can you create a sort of moveable tractor to let your ducks spend time during the day on grass...I have welsh and I know their passion is foraging. I'm attaching a photo of what I use. I also live in a predator heavy area and while I wouldn't leave home while my ducks are in the tractor, I can be inside or nearby and just peek at them once in awhile....only once did I have to chase a bear off. Regarding the bumble, I feel your frustration. It seems like I'm usually having one that I'm concerned about or working on. I use half rounded pea gravel and half pine shavings in my run. It is covered and I think that helps a lot to keep the mud down, although when they get the chance they love to play in mud. I try to check their feet every few weeks and if I see tiny scabs I start scrubbing them twice a day with a toothbrush dipped in iodine, then keep them out of the water for 20 minutes or so after. It's a tip I picked up on here on BYC and it has helped me with time and worry when it comes to scabs.

 

[HennyPenny44]

Can you create a sort of moveable tractor to let your ducks spend time during the day on grass...I have welsh and I know their passion is foraging. I'm attaching a photo of what I use. I also live in a predator heavy area and while I wouldn't leave home while my ducks are in the tractor, I can be inside or nearby and just peek at them once in awhile....only once did I have to chase a bear off. Regarding the bumble, I feel your frustration. It seems like I'm usually having one that I'm concerned about or working on. I use half rounded pea gravel and half pine shavings in my run. It is covered and I think that helps a lot to keep the mud down, although when they get the chance they love to play in mud. I try to check their feet every few weeks and if I see tiny scabs I start scrubbing them twice a day with a toothbrush dipped in iodine, then keep them out of the water for 20 minutes or so after. It's a tip I picked up on here on BYC and it has helped me with time and worry when it comes to scabs.

Thank for the reply. I'm a bit late responding. I do have a movable tractor but I use it for my chickens and it's very hard to move around. I would need to build a new one and I'm just not motivated truthfully. I have decided to give then away. Between the bumblefoot, the constant filling and emptying of the pool by hand and them constantly escaping because they want fresh pasture, they've become too much for me to handle.

 

[CoriM]

I'm sorry to hear that. Ducks are a lot of work!

 

[chickachicka12345]

I’ve had 6 ducks for almost a year now and while I love them, they’re turning out to be way more work than I ever imagined they would be and more than my chickens ever were. I am dealing with tons of bumblefoot! I use pine shavings in the duck house and I've done pine needles and straw in the run but they turn it all into a muddy mess in no time plus the rain. So I opted recently for wood chips aged for over a year in the run though I don’t think it’s the best option for those delicate flippers.

For the last month, I’ve been treating one duck for bumblefoot. I did two surgeries on her and I’m waiting on an antibiotic to bring the swelling down. I need a separate cage for her in the duck house and the run which I manage. I have another duck who has a medium bumble on each foot. I just soaked her feet, tried to remove the scabs but got some blood so I bandaged her up with sugardine like the other one and put a zip lock bag around her feet so she could stay with the others. These ducks I’m pretty sure got the bumbles prior to the aged wood chips.

I did a check just now on the rest and two more ducks have a small bumble on each foot! That’s 4 out of 6 ducks now! Am I doing something wrong?

I give them their pool regularly but because there’s so much bumble going on and I don’t want their bandaging getting wet, I’ve cut that down. I simply don’t have the time to spend every day soaking them in Epsom salt, doing bumble foot surgery and bandaging webbed feet….or setting up and managing separate living quarters every day in the house and run. Please help!

LOTS of wood shavings or straw