Leghorn with Bumblefoot

[silkie1472]

Good evening, all!

Many of us bird enthusiasts have heard of the dreadful bumblefoot before, yet it still remains a mystery why some of our birds get it.

I have a flock of several different breeds ranging from Cochins to leghorns, and yesterday I noticed one of my leghorn pullets had large feet. Upon examining her, I noticed she had fairly severe bumblefoot on both feet, yet none of the other birds are affected.

The pullet is very healthy, does not limp at all, and lays regularly, but why would such a lightweight breed develop bumblefoot when it lives in the same conditions as the larger breeds — not to mention that it’s both of her feet?

I have started trying to cure it one foot at a time based on severity, but I’m somewhat uneasy knowing that my other birds are possibly at risk now.

Do any of y’all have any ideas on what could have caused this and share treatment suggestions? The birds live on dirt that is tilled regularly. I appreciate any advice!

 

[HeyHo]

I've got two girls with bumblefoot on both feet -- and all the rest are completely fine! Both are on the smaller side while my larger breeds have no foot problems at all. So I am scratching my head with you. Can't be the roosts, or roost height, or coop/run conditions. However, these are my two most industrious hens and are wonderful bug hunters. They'd dig a tunnel system if I let them. So I suspect these were just minor injuries from "chickens being chickens."

Good luck treating your leghorn. My girls have come to enjoy their pedicures!

 

[silkie1472]

I appreciate it!

My leghorns prefer a PVC roost, which is very smooth, so I think that is in my favor. I just hope that she heals well and that the others do not develop it. My leghorns are one of my favorites for their large, white eggs.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Wood is better I built tables from pallets we actually cut the main table in two gave it more legs using rubber maid tubs as nest boxes cut the front from them leaving a closed box for their security

 

[Ebony Rose]

Bumblefoot is perhaps the equivalent to a human getting a small cut or splinter in their foot and then walking barefoot in the dirt and their own feces with the injury for days on end, before the injury has had the chance to heal. It becomes infected. In humans we merely say the wound became infected, in poultry, we call it bumblefoot. Chicken pus is not runny like human pus. It's thick, often hard, cheesy and if such an infection is left untreated, can develop into a staph infection that can be deadly. A 15-20 minute warm foot bath preferably with epsom salt will soften the skin on her feet making it possible for you to rub the scab off with a dry terry rag. If you can get the scab to pop this way, then you'll want to squeeze the wound as if it were a cyst or blackhead (while wearing gloves, as staph can be passed to humans through any minor wound in your hands). Be sure to get all of the yellow cheesy pus out of the wound, otherwise it will just fester up and continue to be a bother to her. After you've removed all the pus, pack the wound with triple antibiotic ointment without pain relief (neosporin type of medicine, consistency of vaseline). A moist wound heals faster with chickens. God speed on her recovery.

 

[Henny_in_Tenne]

I just discovered I have a chicken with Bumblefoot too. In addition to the soaking and lancing, are antibiotics necessary? Do I need to keep the drained wound bandaged up and her separated from the rest of the flock for a period of time? If so, how long? I’m a newbie with chickens so I’m a little uneasy about this process right now. Be gentle with me as I muster my courage.

 

[Ebony Rose]

I just discovered I have a chicken with Bumblefoot too. In addition to the soaking and lancing, are antibiotics necessary? Do I need to keep the drained wound bandaged up and her separated from the rest of the flock for a period of time? If so, how long? I’m a newbie with chickens so I’m a little uneasy about this process right now. Be gentle with me as I muster my courage.

Unless the infection is particularly stubborn (refuses to heal), you can probably skip past antibiotics (especially it you're attempting to raise your flock totally organic). It is not always necessary to actually lance the wound, sometimes a good soak and a brisk rub with a terry cloth will pop the wound open without cutting, and this method is preferred. If you have to cut the infection out, then packing the opening with triple antibiotic ointment and making a "shoe" from sport's tape (the kind that sticks to itself but won't latch onto your bird's skin) for a day or so to develop a decent scab wouldn't hurt. You shouldn't need to isolate your bird from the flock as bumblefoot in and of itself isn't contagious to your other birds. The PUS, if infested with staphylococcus is more of a danger to you than the cleansed wound would be to the rest of your flock. The less time you separate a bird from their flock, the better for reintegration purposes; and should be reserved for the most dire of circumstances (the bird is contagious (or suspected to be contagious), the other birds (more than one) are picking on it (if only one bird is picking on it, then isolating the bully is usually your better option as it will knock the bully down a peg or two on the pecking order), you're unable to disguise an open wound, etc.).
The spa treatment is usually well received by your birds and can be repeated several days in a row... if you think extra soaking will avoid the scalpel then it's preferred.

 

[Henny_in_Tenne]

Wow! Thank you so much for this thoughtful reply. This seems much more manageable than lancing with a scalpel, changing wounds daily and separating for several days. I appreciate you!

 

[Henny_in_Tenne]

Unless the infection is particularly stubborn (refuses to heal), you can probably skip past antibiotics (especially it you're attempting to raise your flock totally organic). It is not always necessary to actually lance the wound, sometimes a good soak and a brisk rub with a terry cloth will pop the wound open without cutting, and this method is preferred. If you have to cut the infection out, then packing the opening with triple antibiotic ointment and making a "shoe" from sport's tape (the kind that sticks to itself but won't latch onto your bird's skin) for a day or so to develop a decent scab wouldn't hurt. You shouldn't need to isolate your bird from the flock as bumblefoot in and of itself isn't contagious to your other birds. The PUS, if infested with staphylococcus is more of a danger to you than the cleansed wound would be to the rest of your flock. The less time you separate a bird from their flock, the better for reintegration purposes; and should be reserved for the most dire of circumstances (the bird is contagious (or suspected to be contagious), the other birds (more than one) are picking on it (if only one bird is picking on it, then isolating the bully is usually your better option as it will knock the bully down a peg or two on the pecking order), you're unable to disguise an open wound, etc.).
The spa treatment is usually well received by your birds and can be repeated several days in a row... if you think extra soaking will avoid the scalpel then it's preferred.

 

[Henny_in_Tenne]

And just to be sure I understand, the “spa treatment” is an epsom soak?