humane way to care for a chicken in isolation for a month

[Amphitecna]

Hello all,

I'm sure I'm not the first to ask this question, but my search through the forums has not been fruitful. Please point me elsewhere if this has already been answered.

One of our girls has an infection in her foot. She's supposed to be off of it, and in isolation while on her meds- for the next 20 days. She's already been in for a week. We haven't had to isolate this long before, and I'm trying to figure out a humane way to do it.

Currently, she's in our basement/garage in a moving crate. She has ample space to move around and nest and sleep, but she's really all alone between our visits. She's a look-but-no-touch kinda girl, too. So no cuddles, but I am plying her with yummies.

We can bring her crate upstairs where I can have music playing for her when I'm out, and she's around people. Is this a good idea?

We're looking into outdoor options, but our small, urban flock is free-ranging, so the run is on the small side, and full of upraised planted areas for them to jump onto, so rather 3-D. We might be able to enclose one of their "play areas" though. If so, what do we need to consider (besides shelter from the near-consistant rain)? Does she need to go into the henhouse at night? Sleeping on a perch seems counter-indicated with needing to be off her foot..... But I don't want her to get depressed either.

What do you all do in this situation? How do you manage injuries requiring antibiotics and anti-inflammatories and a decent isolation period?

Thanks!

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you borrow or buy a wire dog crate big enough (medium or more) to put her and food and water attached or secured? Cover the top to keep shaded and dry. You can move the crate or just her indoors at night. I keep one of those crates inside my coop all of the time, and it is always ready when I have a sick bird. That way they can see each other, and there won’t be too many problems reintegrating her. If you want to post any pictures of her foot, or need any advice on that, we can help. Does she have bumblefoot or any injury?

 

[kees]

You might consider getting a real ostrich feather duster and hanging it upside down in the corner so that she will have flock mates with whom she can sleep or huddle with if she gets stressed. Mirror too. Extra healthy treats too, like black soldier fly larvae and a clump of grass/weeds to pick through and a branch.

 

[Amphitecna]

The vet said it it was just inflamation associated with an infection. She may have stepped on something that poked her foot. I dont know what French is for bumblefoot, but he put her on antibiotics for 20 days and an anti-inflammatory for 7 days.

I can look into a dog crate. Its one of the options on my mind. The feather duster will be a good short term solution. The vet said a mirror would likely stress her, as shed see it as a rival, not a friend like parrots do. Your experience differs??

 

[Amphitecna]

I just looked up bumblefoot. It is consistent with that, but we caught it early. Her foot looks nothing like those images of poor chickens feet that I can not unsee.

 

[Eggcessive]

Bumble foot may be caused by a small cut in the footpad where bacteria enter and cause an abscess and scab. I have done surgery on several of my chickens to remove the solid plug of infection, but there are other less invasive treatments. If it is mild, I just watch it. Lowering roosts and providing soft bedding for landing may help. Avoid muddy wet ground and bedding. Here is a good article on bumblefoot in chickens:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/bumblefoot-causes-treatment-warning/

https://www.tillysnest.com/2015/12/...an for Chickens with,and leaving her feet out.

 

[Amphitecna]

Thanks for those. Now om wondering....while the pad of her foot is warm and a little swollen, its nothing like what those photos show. There is a black scab, but its smaller than a pin head. So if it is bumblefoot, i guess we caught it early. ‍♀

I have some photos of the "hospital box" currently in use inside, the coop and run, and the area I can block off for an outdoor isolation pen. The area i can block off is conceived as a shelter for the chickens. They do use it when they're locked in or its really gnarly out. Its wind and rain proof. In the winter we cover the open side with plexiglass, leaving a protected access door. For isolation, I'm inclined to staple up some chicken wire.


Id love to know your alls thoughts.

 

[ManueB]

Thanks for those. Now om wondering....while the pad of her foot is warm and a little swollen, its nothing like what those photos show. There is a black scab, but its smaller than a pin head. So if it is bumblefoot, i guess we caught it early. ‍♀

I have some photos of the "hospital box" currently in use inside, the coop and run, and the area I can block off for an outdoor isolation pen. The area i can block off is conceived as a shelter for the chickens. They do use it when they're locked in or its really gnarly out. Its wind and rain proof. In the winter we cover the open side with plexiglass, leaving a protected access door. For isolation, I'm inclined to staple up some chicken wire.


Id love to know your alls thoughts.

Bumblefoot is pododermatite in french. There are different stages.
I have never isolated my chickens for a light bumblefoot but I suppose it helps heal faster.
I think the outdoor idea is good, especially because not only will it allow her to see her friends but also to dustbathe - such an important activity.

I'm also in France and I've brought three times hens that had severe bumblefoot to the vet for surgery. I was given Azythromicin for ten days (zithromax for kids) or sulfadimethoxin and neither did much to help. But the vet only told us to isolate for one hen who had quite a big surgery and only for three days. I suppose each vet do things differently, but if you feel she is too stressed and the bumble foot doesn't look bad, I would personally do a shorter isolation. I have found bathing, wrapping and padding the foot more effective than oral antibiotics.

 

[Amphitecna]

So, we retrofitted the outdoor shelter and put her in there yesterday. I'm not convinced it was a good idea. She spent the whole time yesterday and this morning pacing, not eating and clearly wanting out. Shes the most adventurous and active of the three, so I'm not really surprised at this.

And, based on the scatalogical evidence I saw this morning, she had a visitor last night. I don't know if it's a myth that rats will bite the feet of chickens, but I'm certainly NOT interested in testing it out.

So, she's back in her box in the garage. At least until she's eaten her meds. Plus the weather is going to be grody today, so....

I'm thinking that it's because of the meds that the Vet recommended isolation until they're finished. Plus, we're not supposed to eat her eggs, and given that all three of them lay the same color it's difficult to differentiate.

Here is a picture of her foot. I presume that black dot is the bumblefoot 'kernel' forming. I'm open to releasing her during the day, then collecting her at bedtime to come back inside, where she will remain until at least her meds are eaten (and maybe until she's laid her egg).

Should I bathe and wrap the foot too? Would Epsom salts do? I'm not sure if I can get an antibiotic foot bath here- and certainly not on a Sunday. Plus she's on oral antibiotics already.

What is your all's sage advice- release during the day and inside at night? Keep her isolated? To bathe or not to bathe?

Thank you!!!!

 

[Eggcessive]

That is so mild, I would not do anything for it. I would definitely get her back with her flock right away before they adjust their pecking order. If you feel like treating still, I would apply a 2x2 gauze pad with either povidone iodine and sugar, Manuka honey, or a drawing salve, and wrap it in strips of cohesive bandage. Change it daily or every 2 days. Don’t get it too tight. Here is a brief video on how to bandage a foot: