I have several hens with bumblefoot

[gumpsgirl]

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That really worried me too, but it wasn't that bad really. It was more time consuming than anything. I can't even begin to tell you the visions that were going through my head while I worked myself up to take care of this!

 

[redhen]

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That really worried me too, but it wasn't that bad really. It was more time consuming than anything. I can't even begin to tell you the visions that were going through my head while I worked myself up to take care of this!

Your a brave woman that makes good bread!

 

[gumpsgirl]

Awe shucks! Neither the bumblefoot or bread are hard tasks to tackle.

 

[kycklingar!]

This may be a bit after the fact, but last week I made a YouTube vid about how to deal with and avoid bumblefoot - here's the link!

Also, now that you have dealt with the injuries, I'd work on prevention. Vary the size and texture of your perches, remove any flat surfaces where your hens can roost, especially if these surfaces accumulate poop, and keep the coop and run as dry as possible. Bumblefoot is exacerbated by excessive moisture and lack of air to the bottoms of the feet. Wet, flat surfaces are your worst enemy.

 

[kathyinmo]

kycklingar! ..... Maybe I missed something here. I thought Bumblefoot was caused by a foot injury, such as jumping down too hard on a rock or glass, etc. I didn't see in your video that you removed the plug??? Was you case an injury with a plug of infection, or was it an open lesion, or other?

I guess I am confused. I thought Cyn had Bumblefoot issues, due to rocky land and so forth.

 

[ruth]

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Hi Cyn - thanks for the info. I had to go and re-read the ingredients in my Walgreens brand "Triple Antibiotic" cream and you are right - no caine product. I guess I misread it initially - it's heck getting old and having to put on your granny glasses to read but it says: Bacitracin Zinc, Neomycin Sulfate, Polymyxin B Sulfate. In all likelihood I read the first word dyslexic and got Bacitrcain.

In any event, good to know. I've never used this, after buying it and reading your post about your roo that died shortly after having benzocain applied and now check all ingredients. I guess it would help to put my glasses on.

 

[speckledhen]

ky, I watched your video, but did you leave the pus plug inside his foot? Have you ever healed bumblefoot like that previously?


The cause of bumblefoot is an abrasion on the foot then staph entering the scrape or cut from the soil. It can happen in dry environments, too, not just wet ones. My coops are dry as a bone, but they roam on wooded acreage and that is where they get the scrapes and subsequent infections.

Monique, I'm not 100% sure that the benzocaine in the ointment caused Hawkeye's death. I believe it was probably the combination of ingredients in that wound ointment and his sensitivity combined, but it also could have been a coincidence that he had a heart attack after fighting with Suede at the fence. Anyway, yes, always check those ingredients! Never assume anything is safe for your birds.

 

[California Ducken]

Okay vet wrap or coban or coflex. It is all the same. You can get it at the grocery store even. It's in the foot care isle. It's usually flesh colored. At the feed supply stores, they usually come in colors and are in the horse section. They use it to wrap up ankles and such.
Hope that helps. I will try and find a photo of bumble foot.
Good Luck with your chickies.

 

[threehorses]

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It's the self-adhesive bandage - doesn't stick to anything else (or, thankfully, feathers). VetWrap etc is cheaper (and comes in pretty colors to make an otherwise yucky moment a little more positive).

At the petstore, you'll pay more, but can sometimes get the half-height rolls which can come in handy. (Petsmart).

Personally I just love the horse version.

p.s. If you have a chicken that might be walking on dirt, putting a little layer of duct tape on the very bottom keeps the moisture out.

 

[speckledhen]

One word of warning about the Vetwrap, though. If it gets wet and is on firmly in place already, it tends to tighten/shrink up and constrict the foot on some birds. My big heavy girl, Meg, has an easier time if we cut strips out of old sweatshirts and use those to wrap her up, sealing it with first aid tape around the ankle. The Vetwrap on her begins to cut into her foot too much over time--her feet are really fat and toes a bit curved, so it may just be her.