I have an almost 3 yr old starlight green egger chicken that I thought had bumblefoot, but once I got her in and soaked her foot and looked at it closer, am wondering if that's what it actually is. I've attached some pictures to show how crazy her foot looks. I've researched and haven't found any pictures that look anywhere near what her foot looks like. It's all swollen, possibly warm, reddish in some spots, bleeding in some spots, looks like her skin is peeling, and it smells something awful (which I don't remember from my other bumblefoot cases). Our coop is like Fort Knox in that no predators can get in; however recently we noticed a rat in the storage area of the coop where the chickens do not have access. I have set out traps to catch it, but haven't been successful yet and was afraid to use any poison since it was so close to the chickens. Just discovered today that the rat chewed his way into the coop and has been in there for who knows how long. Set more traps to catch the booger. After seeing and smelling her foot, wondering if it's an infection from rat bites? We have 30 chickens in the coop with a 3 tier roost setup. This chicken normally roosts on the top bar, and none of the other chickens seem to have anything wrong with their feet like this. I do have one that is limping that I assume is bumblefoot again since she just had bumblefoot surgery about a month ago. Because we have had issues with bumblefoot recently, I've been trying to keep an eye on all the chicken's feet while they peck around, and think I would've noticed something this major before now (although we've been gone for the holidays for 5 days).
For now, I've just soaked her foot in epsom salt water, srubbed it as clean as I could, sprayed it with chlorhexadine solution and betadine, applied triple antiobiotic ointment, and wrapped it up. I was afraid to cut into her foot because honestly, I didn't even know where to start. There was no obviously single scab like normal bumblefoot. I also didn't want to cut her foot all up trying to find bumblefoot if that's not what it is. The whole pad of her foot looks like peeling black scabby skin. Please help! What is this and what do I do for her?
FYI: The first 3 pictures are before cleaning. The last 3 are after soaking and scrubbing her foot with a stiff bristle brush.
For now, I've just soaked her foot in epsom salt water, srubbed it as clean as I could, sprayed it with chlorhexadine solution and betadine, applied triple antiobiotic ointment, and wrapped it up. I was afraid to cut into her foot because honestly, I didn't even know where to start. There was no obviously single scab like normal bumblefoot. I also didn't want to cut her foot all up trying to find bumblefoot if that's not what it is. The whole pad of her foot looks like peeling black scabby skin. Please help! What is this and what do I do for her?
FYI: The first 3 pictures are before cleaning. The last 3 are after soaking and scrubbing her foot with a stiff bristle brush.
