How do I treat bumble foot?

[Firsttimehens1234]

Today I noticed my hen started limping but other than that she was acting all normal, I went to check on her when she had gone to bed and found thins under her foot, it really looks like bumble foot

How do I treat it?

 

[GermanKennhuhn]

Yep, that’s bumblefoot! My recommendation would be to soak in epsom salt water for 10 minutes, and then remove the scab. It may be necessary to loosen it with a sanitized razor blade. The infection, a white/yellow ‘kernel’, should come out with the scab. If it doesn’t, try squeezing the footpad, or use tweezers to try and remove it. I’d recommend you have someone to hold her still while you work.

Then, flush with Veterycin/Saline/diluted Hydrogen Peroxide, and pack the wound with plain neosporin.

I like to use Vetwrap to bandage it. Here is a helpful article: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-to-correctly-wrap-a-chickens-foot.77028/
I would change the bandage every 2-3 days.

 

[Firsttimehens1234]

T

Yep, that’s bumblefoot! My recommendation would be to soak in epsom salt water for 10 minutes, and then remove the scab. It may be necessary to loosen it with a sanitized razor blade. The infection, a white/yellow ‘kernel’, should come out with the scab. If it doesn’t, try squeezing the footpad, or use tweezers to try and remove it. I’d recommend you have someone to hold her still while you work.

Then, flush with Veterycin/Saline/diluted Hydrogen Peroxide, and pack the wound with plain neosporin.

I like to use Vetwrap to bandage it. Here is a helpful article: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-to-correctly-wrap-a-chickens-foot.77028/
I would change the bandage every 2-3 days.

hank you for your answer, i don’t have all the thing right now but I’m getting them tomorrow, right now she is getting a foot bath with epson salt and then a flush with hydrogen peroxide and then bandages .
She has it on both of her feet unfortunately, she is acting fine,and I’m trying to get over the guilt and helping her

 

[McChooky]

Repeated epsom salt water foot soaks daily(minimum of every other day) kills bacteria and lessons swelling. No bandages are applied until the kernels removed.Then foot soaks and clean Bandages every other day. Wrapped the bandage in plastic tape to waterproof the bandage so it won't get wet. Soggy bandages won't keep the surgical spot clean or dry and will prevent healing.You must pat the foot dry after soaking and apply an antibiotic ointment on the site after the kernels removed to aid healing.It can take a month to heal well enough to remove bandages.

 

[Firsttimehens1234]

Repeated epsom salt water foot soaks daily(minimum of every other day) kills bacteria and lessons swelling. No bandages are applied until the kernels removed.Then foot soaks and clean Bandages every other day. Wrapped the bandage in plastic tape to waterproof the bandage so it won't get wet. Soggy bandages won't keep the surgical spot clean or dry and will prevent healing.You must pat the foot dry after soaking and apply an antibiotic ointment on the site after the kernels removed to aid healing.It can take a month to heal well enough to remove bandages.

Helle, I didn’t get either of the Kernels out tonight, it’s late so I’m gonna put her to bed, I think I can see one of the kernels but I’m gonna do the same thing tomorrow morning

 

[McChooky]

I soaked my hens foot for a month so I wouldn't have to do surgery.

 

[Firsttimehens1234]

I soaked my hens foot for a month so I wouldn't have to do surgery.

Did she recover?

 

[McChooky]

If you wash her feet with warm soapy water and pat them dry before soaking her feet in the salt solution the solution will be cleaner. I used a gallon of warm salt water in a 5 gallon bucket and lowered my hen in the bucket slowly so she wouldn't panic.I made her stay in the bucket 15-20 minutes.

Did she recover?

100%. Took 2 months from start to finish.

 

[McChooky]

She wore bandages about a month.I wrapped the bandages with black plastic tape from the dollar store to waterproof it.She looked like she had boots on.

 

[McChooky]

First the redness disappears then the swelling will go down.The kernel will shrink and dry up if you soak it daily or every other day. After it dried up and the scab(kernel)was ready to come off I clipped it with scissors and pulled it out.It bled a little. I soaked her foot 15 minutes after getting the kernel out then put iodine on it.Patted it dry. Applied antibiotic cream then bandaged it.Covered it with waterproof tape.Repeat every other day until new skin covers the hole.Vital to keep soaking it during the healing process.