I have several hens with bumblefoot

[vermontgal]

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Great, thanks! Also thanks for the notes about the fun colors! I've been looking for something like that. I went to the drugstore - there are various products like that for humans, too - but I didn't know which one to pick. Too many choices. I'll check out the feed store. Since so many things we use with chickens are found in other sections, it is useful to know where it should be.

Thanks, also speckledhen, for your words of caution about vet wrap. Noted.
Dare I ask what kind of first aid tape you use with your socks? (of the approx 35 different kinds available, which is good for sticking on chicken foots?) Your big girl Meg sounds a little like my big girl Liz (also a BR).

 

[gumpsgirl]

kycklingar! :

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.

It isn't anything in their coop or run. I know where it came from and part of it is my fault for letting the girls out to free range. My son broke the glass out of a storm door that has been sitting and we have tried and tried to get all of the glass picked up, but there are literally thousands of pieces. Every time it rains, more glass surfaces. The girls don't usually go into that area when they free range, so it's never been an issue before, but last week I found 5 hens over there after I had let them out. They won't be coming out again until I get the rest of that glass picked up, if that's possible.

Thanks for the info. though.

 

[gumpsgirl]

Everyone is up and about this morning and the ones with bumblefoot look like they are doing okay thus far. I am worried about my sons leghorn and fear we are far from over this with her. She is walking okay, but I'm not certain we got everything out of her foot. The hole was so tiny as was the plug, but the big fluid filled bubbles that are between her toes are not gone and don't look like they've subsided any. I will give it another day and if she doesn't look any better, we will have to take the wrap off and soak her foot for awhile in salt water, then try again.

 

[Chickenaddict]

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Best of luck to you and the injured birds... I too am going thru the same thing, seems it is easier to get the "plug" out once the foot has gotten to the festering stages aka a big lump on the top of the foot rather then trying to dig your way to china via the bottom of the foot. I mixed up a nice warm foot soak with epsom salt and betadine, it took a good 25 minutes to soak it long enough to pull the scab off the bottom of the foot then an additional soak with a clean solution for an additional 10-15 minutes after the plug was removed. Terramycin powder mixed with neosporin is a great idea, I may have to try that next time around. The hen that was treated made a full recovery in 1 week.

 

[Chickenaddict]

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SOunds like what my hen had, a big lump between her toes, thats where i found the plug! Get a sterile exacto knife and make an incision there, the plug should come out fairly easy at least it did for me but of course after a 25 minute soak, I couldn't get the plug out from the bottom of her foot, I dug and dug causing her more discomfort.

that works for you poor leghorn hen

 

[gumpsgirl]

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So you are telling me to cut into the bubbles on the top part of her foot, right? I just want to make sure I'm doing this correctly! My boys were actually encouraging me to do that last night, but I didn't because I only knew to go through the bottom. I will have to go back in and do what you are suggesting.

Thank you!

 

[redhen]

Good luck!

 

[threehorses]

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Ooooh good point! And good remedy.

Mine hasn't done this, but then again I usually use duct tape bits where I know it'll touch ground.

I guess I should mention that because VetWrap is stretchy, you shouldn't really wrap it like you would an ace-bandage - that would be too tight. It holds itself with its stretchiness - so you basically get it firm on there but not pulled tight. Maybe that's why I've never had issues because I've been so very afraid of it constricting (particularly if more swelling occurs) that I wrap it firm, not loose, but not at all stretching the weave.

I never thought about it exactly before. Thanks speckledhen!

 

[ruth]

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So you are telling me to cut into the bubbles on the top part of her foot, right? I just want to make sure I'm doing this correctly! My boys were actually encouraging me to do that last night, but I didn't because I only knew to go through the bottom. I will have to go back in and do what you are suggesting.

Thank you!

Yes, that's what I did on the ones that had the marble sized swelling between the toes. I use single edge razor blades and cut in from the top. Found not one but two plugs in one swelling - they looked exactly like dried kernels of corn. There would be no way to get those plugs out by going through the bottom of the foot. Of course the bottom pad may also have a plug but I'd be willing to bet the swelling between the toes has them as well. If you think about it, it's an easier job because there's no fat or tendons or tissue to mess with and since the incision is on the top, dirt doesn't get in and they don't have to walk on it.

 

[speckledhen]

Even when we are very careful not to stretch the vetwrap, it will begin to tighten, especially when wet. Certainly, dont stretch it tight! The first aid tape I use is the cloth tape that Curad makes, but any type will do.