I have a two small flocks of bantam and standard chickens. Recently, one of my Buff Brahma standard hens got a case of bumblefoot on her left foot pad. After doing some research and preparation, I gave the bird's feet a salt bath, surgically removed the scab, applied Neosporin, and wrapped her foot. She didn't enjoy the experience but seems just fine and shows no signs of lameness whatsoever. I'm pretty sure I caught the infection in an early stage. I'll take off the wrap in a day or two to see how she is. I also ordered some Tricide NEO from https://www.pondrx.com/products/16165.html in case it becomes it real problem (I think it already is!).
While doing some research, I also found some images of bumblefoot that I thought originally were only minor sores on my brahmas' feet. They start out as barely noticeable until the chicken's feet become swollen. I now realize that bumblefoot is more prominent in my flock than I thought. Lately, the weather has been very wet and I can't move their run fast enough before they eat the grass down to mud. There are times when they walk through wet mud in the summer. Their coop has pine chips as a bed on one side and on the other a wire grate beneath the perches allows poop to fall through the bottom.
So... as bumblefoot becomes more and more a problem in my standard flock I feel that I need to 'nip it in the bud' before I have to treat every chicken's feet. Can you tell me how this spreads? What initially causes bumblefoot? What is the first step to take before I have to remove the scab? Can it spread to the other foot or from chicken to chicken? Is it caused by wet weather, or old litter? Where is all this bumblefoot coming from!!!???
While doing some research, I also found some images of bumblefoot that I thought originally were only minor sores on my brahmas' feet. They start out as barely noticeable until the chicken's feet become swollen. I now realize that bumblefoot is more prominent in my flock than I thought. Lately, the weather has been very wet and I can't move their run fast enough before they eat the grass down to mud. There are times when they walk through wet mud in the summer. Their coop has pine chips as a bed on one side and on the other a wire grate beneath the perches allows poop to fall through the bottom.
So... as bumblefoot becomes more and more a problem in my standard flock I feel that I need to 'nip it in the bud' before I have to treat every chicken's feet. Can you tell me how this spreads? What initially causes bumblefoot? What is the first step to take before I have to remove the scab? Can it spread to the other foot or from chicken to chicken? Is it caused by wet weather, or old litter? Where is all this bumblefoot coming from!!!???
