Large bump on hen's foot but idk if it's bumblefoot

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

My Salmon Faverolles hen has a big bump on the top of her foot, kind of between the toes. My initial thought was bumblefoot but I've never seen a picture of bumblefoot with swelling on the top like this, and when I flipped over her foot, I didn't see the black scab-looking thing. Although, she was squirming so it was hard to get a super good look.

What could this be? Does bumblefoot not always have the black scab? How do I go about treating this? It's starting to affect her walking so I know it must hurt.

 

[Quavo]

Most likely bumble foot.

 

[coach723]

Can you get some clear, up close pictures of the bottom of the foot? Even the tiniest of injuries can be the start of bumblefoot, and sometimes there will be swelling or a pus pocket that shows up between toes or on the top of the foot. It's usually easiest to go in at the sight of the injury to clean it out.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

Can you get some clear, up close pictures of the bottom of the foot? Even the tiniest of injuries can be the start of bumblefoot, and sometimes there will be swelling or a pus pocket that shows up between toes or on the top of the foot. It's usually easiest to go in at the sight of the injury to clean it out.

Once my husband is home I will try to get a picture. It's just hard to hold her and take a pic at the same time. This chicken is very docile, but I think the foot hurts so she's been squirming when I try to look at it.

Is there anything I can do in the meantime? Should I put some antibiotic ointment on it?

 

[coach723]

It won't hurt anything, but topically it may not really help either.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

Alright, now I see a scab thing. This looks like bumblefoot, correct? If so, what should be my course of action? No chicken vet around here so we would be treating at home.

 

[coach723]

Yes, that is bumblefoot. You will need to soak the foot in epsom salts to soften the scab for removal. Alternately you can apply decolorized iodine (any pharmacy should have) and wrap it overnight, that should also soften it. Remove the scab, and clean out underneath. Remove any core or chunks of pus. Since there is swelling on the top it may take some squeezing and manipulation to get all the pus out. The pus will be solid, and creamy white, not runny. Flush it out well with chlorhexidine (hibiclens) or diluted betadine. If any pus remains inside, it will regnerate. If you can't get the stuff out between the toes, where the swelling is, you many need to lance it from the top, but hopefully it will squeeze out the bottom. Fill the hole after flushing it out well with plain triple antibiotic ointment, cover with gauze or a telfa pad and wrap with co wrap/vet wrap to keep it clean and dry. I change bandages and reapply ointment daily until I know it's healing, then go to every other or every third day, as seems appropriate. I keep it wrapped until it's all healed up. Make sure the wrap isn't too tight, just tight enough to keep it on. I buy the 4" wide rolls of co wrap in the horse section at tractor supply and cut them down to the width and length I need. About 1" wide seems to work well for most chicken feet. If you wrap the foot, between the toes, and then a wrap or two around the ankle, it usually stays on. If you only wrap the foot, they will sometimes pull it off. After a while they get used to it and leave it alone.
Here's a link with basically what I do:
http://www.tillysnest.com/2015/12/non-surgical-bumblefoot-treatment.html/?spref=pi

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

Yes, that is bumblefoot. You will need to soak the foot in epsom salts to soften the scab for removal. Alternately you can apply decolorized iodine (any pharmacy should have) and wrap it overnight, that should also soften it. Remove the scab, and clean out underneath. Remove any core or chunks of pus. Since there is swelling on the top it may take some squeezing and manipulation to get all the pus out. The pus will be solid, and creamy white, not runny. Flush it out well with chlorhexidine (hibiclens) or diluted betadine. If any pus remains inside, it will regnerate. If you can't get the stuff out between the toes, where the swelling is, you many need to lance it from the top, but hopefully it will squeeze out the bottom. Fill the hole after flushing it out well with plain triple antibiotic ointment, cover with gauze or a telfa pad and wrap with co wrap/vet wrap to keep it clean and dry. I change bandages and reapply ointment daily until I know it's healing, then go to every other or every third day, as seems appropriate. I keep it wrapped until it's all healed up. Make sure the wrap isn't too tight, just tight enough to keep it on. I buy the 4" wide rolls of co wrap in the horse section at tractor supply and cut them down to the width and length I need. About 1" wide seems to work well for most chicken feet. If you wrap the foot, between the toes, and then a wrap or two around the ankle, it usually stays on. If you only wrap the foot, they will sometimes pull it off. After a while they get used to it and leave it alone.
Here's a link with basically what I do:
http://www.tillysnest.com/2015/12/non-surgical-bumblefoot-treatment.html/?spref=pi

Thank you so much for this info! I will soak her tonight and see what I can do. If I'm not having luck, I'll get the iodine and let that soak overnight, then try again tomorrow. Will tweezers do the job for removing the core and anything else hard? Or is the a better tool for the job?

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

Update for anyone who might be helped by this info in the future if they come by this thread:

I had great luck with the advice I got on here, as well as something from Youtube I found. Someone was doing the epsom salt soaks and wraps, but was using a drawing salve called PRID as well. I'd highly recommend this stuff! One of the infections came out in one piece today. The other is still in but I think it will be ready to come out in a day or two. I just soaked with epsom salts, sprayed with vetericyn, coated the plug in PRID, coated a small piece of gauze in PRID, and then wrapped it in there over the infection with vet wrap.

Here are pics of the one that came out today. It was on top of her foot and about the size of a marble when it came out.