Is this bubblefoot? Plus a few frank questions.

[gilpinguy]

(I wish there was a definitive "Bumblefoot Sticky")

I think a few of my Coturnix Jumbos have the dreaded bumblefoot, but I've never dealt with it before so I'm not sure. Here are a few pics:


Does this look like bumblefoot?


Details:
I am a new quail caretaker. I got these birds when they were 3 weeks old. 20 of them, 18 hens and 2 roos.
Birds are now about 12 weeks old, Coturnix Jumbos.
Feed is Manna Pro Gamebird/Showbird (24% protein), plus oyster shell and plain old sand for grit/dust baths. They also get some cut up apples and corn on the cob to munch on as a treat.
Pen is 1/2 X 1/2 hardware cloth, not coated with plastic (new cages will be coated)
I am raising these birds for eggs and meat. They are not "pets" but I take great care of them.
Symptoms were noticed one day ago, and I keep a pretty close eye on these guys. Maybe I just missed it.

I have been reading a lot about bumblefoot and there is a lot of info out there.

Some say that quail are amazingly hardy birds and they will basically cure themselves over time without intervention.

Others say that the hardware cloth is the problem and you need to have some sort of bedding in there to prevent the condition. Do this or that treatment and your birds will recover and live happily ever after.

Others say that a vitamin deficiency is the real problem. Supplement with this or that, treat the infection and all will be well.

Yet others say that BIG Jumbos will get bumblefoot no matter what you do, so just graduate those with the condition to the freezer and don't waste your time messing with it.

Most of my birds seem pretty darn big to me. I get 14-16 eggs a day from 18 hens and most eggs are 16 grams or so.

The last thing I want is for any of my birds to be suffering unnecessarily. If treating them is just delaying the inevitable I don't want to put them through it or waste my time and money.

So what's the real deal for big egg/meat birds with bumblefoot? Treat or cull?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Yes, that's bumblefoot.
It is difficult to cure but doable. It depends on how many birds you have and how badly you want to save them. IMO, if the foot isn't badly swollen (like one of yours) and the bird isn't limping, it isn't suffering a lot.
There are many techniques to curing as you've found. One thing is that those birds do need to get off of the wire and onto some clean dry bedding. Corncob or pine shavings would be good.
You can begin by soaking in Epsom salts a couple times a day for perhaps 15 minutes.
If the wound is very hard, the past method was to cut out the puss pocket and inject the foot pad with a com-biotic. Doing that, you'll have to use an antibiotic ointment, wrap the wound with gauze and then vet wrap to keep it in place. Before you cut it open, clean it well with alcohol and iodine.
To the best of my knowledge, that method isn't prescribed any more. Once you do that, it takes a while to heal.
I recently discovered an herbal technique that is used by the University of KY with raptors. It uses CEH cream. After cleaning the foot with iodine, then apply a cream of Calendula, Echinacea and Hypericum. After you coat the affected area, again cover with gauze and vet wrap. Do this daily.
http://www.oocities.org/gymnogyps_gray/bumblefoot2.html

The only time I've had bumblefoot was this year and it affected several mature birds living in a building usually used for brooding chicks. They were roosting on thin boards covered with chicken wire and I'm sure that was the cause.
The cause isn't vitamin deficiency but a robust diet can always help a compromised bird.
The cause is any small wound in the foot pad that gets infected with staph bacteria which is in any poultry environment.

Hope this helps.

 

[ladyearth]

I ordered several of those CEH creams to keep on hand .... unfort there is a $15 minimum order and his charge is $7.50 shipping.. which I think is outrageous...but what can you do but make it yourself....?????
I dont have quail but who knows????
they are located in Wisconsin.. The Raptor place in Louisville uses it... after reading what "Canoechic" link
I dont know if he has a website.. I called over the phone....... had to sift thru and scan the bumblefoot article.....
can I list the business here??
heck I prob have all those growing in my property.....
thanks all

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I found some Calendula cream, liquid extracts of both Echinacea and Hypericum locally at an herbal mfg. I then mixed it myself. No one here had the CEH and where I found it online was sold out.