How do I know if bumblefoot is healed?

[citychicks99]

My chickens have scaly leg mites and when I gave them a foot rub with VetRX after an Epsom foot soak, I noticed that two of them have scabs on the bottom of their feet that looked like bumblefoot. I wasn't prepared for it so I put them back on the roost.

I'm going on vacation next week for one week, so I was planning on soaking their feet this week, then applying Prid drawing salve and wrapping their feet until I get back. One of the scabs actually came off yesterday.

When I come back from vacation, how much longer should I keep their feet wrapped? Just until all the scabs come off?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Do you have photos?

Personally, I would not begin treatment until back from vacation.

IF the feet need any treatment and wrappings, they need to be checked daily. Leaving them for a week would not be a good idea.

 

[citychicks99]

Do you have photos?

Personally, I would not begin treatment until back from vacation.

IF the feet need any treatment and wrappings, they need to be checked daily. Leaving them for a week would not be a good idea.

Just got back from vacation and started treating them for bumblefoot. I noticed that 3 hens now have bumblefoot.. I think it's because we made the mistake of not clearing some of the brush we cut down that had sticker bushes.

I soaked their feet in Epsom salt for 10 minutes, sprayed Vetericyn, applied a hydrocolloid dressing and wrapped it in vet wrap. Hoping I won't have to cut it out but I'm already looking at ordering a scalpel.

Does the first picture look infected? It was one of the hens that had it before I left, when it was only one black scab. It looks like it had dried out in person but in the photos it looks like it's spreading. It was also at night so it was hard to see. I also can't tell if the black scab fell out on its own in the second photo. Both feet looked the third photo before I left for vacation last week.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Just got back from vacation and started treating them for bumblefoot. I noticed that 3 hens now have bumblefoot.. I think it's because we made the mistake of not clearing some of the brush we cut down that had sticker bushes.

I soaked their feet in Epsom salt for 10 minutes, sprayed Vetericyn, applied a hydrocolloid dressing and wrapped it in vet wrap. Hoping I won't have to cut it out but I'm already looking at ordering a scalpel.

Does the first picture look infected? It was one of the hens that had it before I left, when it was only one black scab. It looks like it had dried out in person but in the photos it looks like it's spreading. It was also at night so it was hard to see. I also can't tell if the black scab fell out on its own in the second photo. Both feet looked the third photo before I left for vacation last week.

First photo looks like minor bumblefoot with some contact dermatitis. Keep the feet dry.

Second photo doesn't look too bad, it may heal well on its own if it's not bothering her. Keep the feet dry if possible.

Last photo, treat as you have described, hopefully that will loosen up enough where you can squeeze really hard and the scab and kernel will come out without having to cut.

 

[citychicks99]

First photo looks like minor bumblefoot with some contact dermatitis. Keep the feet dry.

Second photo doesn't look too bad, it may heal well on its own if it's not bothering her. Keep the feet dry if possible.

Last photo, treat as you have described, hopefully that will loosen up enough where you can squeeze really hard and the scab and kernel will come out without having to cut.

When you say keep it dry, do you mean keep it wrapped? It's pretty hot and dry here right now.

And thanks for your input! Glad to hear that. It actually looks better now than when I first found it. I didn't think it could do better on its own. Hope the treatments will speed up the healing.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

If it's hot and dry now, I wouldn't wrap the first 2 unless the hens are limping.

The last one, I would wrap since you are treating it and want to soften the scab a little, but do check the wrappings at least daily to make sure they aren't too tight.

 

[citychicks99]

If it's hot and dry now, I wouldn't wrap the first 2 unless the hens are limping.

The last one, I would wrap since you are treating it and want to soften the scab a little, but do check the wrappings at least daily to make sure they aren't too tight.

Should I still apply treatments and just not wrap or leave it alone and check it continuously to make sure it's not getting worse? None of the hens seem bothered by this btw.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I wouldn't wrap and see how they do. The one with the large noticeable scab, wrap since you are treating that one.

If it's hot and dry now, I wouldn't wrap the first 2 unless the hens are limping.

The last one, I would wrap since you are treating it and want to soften the scab a little, but do check the wrappings at least daily to make sure they aren't too tight.

 

[citychicks99]

I wouldn't wrap and see how they do. The one with the large noticeable scab, wrap since you are treating that one.

Good call. I just unwrapped and one of the feet near the top was cracked and had a little bit of dried blood. It looks good otherwise.

Edit to update: I checked her this morning and wow, it looks like it got infected pretty bad overnight. A big swelling at the bottom of her foot, dried pus on the cracks of her foot, and it moved up her leg and she's limping. The other hen is also limping. I want to bring them inside but the tricky part is, some bug crawled on me when I was handling them yesterday, so I'm suspicious if they still have mites or if it was a baby spider. It didn't occur to me to check at the time.

Just took this picture of her feet. It looks so painful. I may just use warm water without Epsom salt later in case it stings. I think she was picking at it too.

 

[citychicks99]

Hi @Wyorp Rock two of my other hens also have bumblefoot. The first two belong to my youngest hen, plugs for both feet have come out and I'm wondering if this is healing?

The last two pics are of a different hen. I haven't seen plugs come out yet and I think the third pic might be forming a bumblefoot. It was light pink a few days ago and I suspected it was coming up so I wrapped that foot also.

Also, what do you do if they poop in the water while you're soaking them? Since there's a lot of salt in the water do you just rinse their feet off with clean water or do you redo the soak?