Multiple chickens with bumblefoot.

[CuzChickens]

Thank you everybody for the suggestions, I have added a six minute Epsom salt soak to their treatment, and I'll try to post pictures tomorrow.

Many of them are scabbing back over, and I'm keeping a close eye on them.

The roosts are 1" thick tree branches that I smoothed after finding them in the woods, and they are staggered to the ground, the first is a foot up, the second two feet up, and the third three feet up, in a stair-like layout.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

My girl is still having trouble. Her foot is soft and nothing comes out when I soak or squeeze it. She does good with a cotton ball wrapped on the bottom but a few days after I take it off she's limping again. Maybe she just needs the padding longer? They roost high up and I've tried to stop them with no luck. I know they jump down and I'm not sure how to stop that either.

 

[mobius]

Make sure there is a scab there when you remove the padding for her to walk around...it might just be swollen from the infection?

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

Ha! She made a liar out of me. Got more gunk out of it today. Repadded and up for the night. I guess I'll have to just keep working on it.

 

[Diannastarr]

sorry my camera date is always Wong, but i had 2 NHR under a year both had bumble foot this summer &my first group of NHR hens in 2014 i also had one with bumble foot under a year old , so hmmm whats up with that , i always feed as much hi quality foods like boiled eggs , oats ,scraps fruit , vegies & vitamins & acv etc to boost their immunity as they grow , both my NHR hens didn't limp or any thing but i saw the black scab like thing on there foot , so every day when i treated their foot i also gave them each a dropper full of colloid silver & soaked there foot in Epsom salt, then rinsed the foot &i cleaned it, then i used blue cote & a drawing salve i usually go all natural but this time i didn't think the essential oils would help ,so i went with Blue kote & a drawing salve,i dont believe in cutting at all to me its seems like over kill, when an antibiotic & drawing salve is much easier,for the both of us me and my hen since there is no open wound or pain involved & i simply can inflict pain upon any living creature...! so i went for drawing the thing out..! i covered it with a good drawing salve gauze & vet wrapped the foot , i checked the feet in 2 days waiting for the drawing salve to do its thing, & eventually it did a good job this took like 5 days & checking every 2 days then i was able to just grab a hold of that black pit thing & i turned it a bit ,almost like un screwing it then pulled it out i got the entire thing out in one hen , but the second hen didnt have as bad a case of it & all of it didn't come out like the first hen & i knew there was still some of it in her foot so i just did the blue kote & drawing salve & wrapped up her foot & gave the colloid sliver to help her body fight this thing invading her body & waited for it to fester up, but instead the foot healed over & so i just left it knowing some thing would develop , & i waited for it to start up again , i believe this thing in the foot has to get to a good festering point so the body is pushing it out and its got the drawing salve pulling it out so i waited almost 2 weeks till i could see that was happening & i could go after it again and this time i get the whole thing out , so here it is in pictures.

, it was so far into her foot it came out the top of her foot..! i got a hold of this big scab & turned it a bit to get it to let go , some thing like un screwing it and then pulled it out. & it came out easily .! it was a good size ,almost like a big tooth , the hole bled a bit that was good, it was clean after that , so i applied blue kote right into the wound& allover the foot . then drawing salve just in-case then wrapped the foot,im going to check her in a day. but im sure this is the end of that bumble foot , but the one thing i do believe in a quality nutrition first and above all else.! to improve the immune system , and that will help the body fight off what ever trys to invade it , like the germ or virus that creates bumble foot and allows it to start taking over..! i have seen bumble foot in some of my older healthy hens & my instinct was to give it some time to see if the hens body could get rid of it on its own and it has , so nutrition is the key to building the immune system & fighting off any illness invading the body, thats your first line of defense.!

happy ending

 

[Diannastarr]

Hey guys,

I have a slight epidemic on my hands......I had a hen with a bumblefoot issue about six weeks ago, I treated her and everything went ok, until I left for the beach for a week. When I returned, she had declined and was getting worse. I kept treating her, and now I have 2 other hens with bumblfoot. Here is my procedure:

1. Cut out scab and remove kernel.
2. Put triple antibiotic cream, tea tree, and frankincense essential oils on the wound.
3. Bandage with gauze and secure with medical tape.
4. change bandage once a day.

I feel like I am treating it properly (any suggestions?), but why is it occurring in multiple hens? Is this a diet issue? I have heard that giving them cooked eggs and uncooked oats helps, so perhaps cook some eggs (1 egg for every 3 hens?) and sprinkle oats on it for a treat once a week to help boost them?

I'd really like some suggestions, I am completely open to criticism and advice!

Thanks guys,

Cuz

hi
CuzChickens CountryChick i think your doing really good very good infect..!!!..! but cutting isnt really necessary just try the Blue kote & a good drawing salve like Hyland's Prid Drawing Salve or Ichthammol Ointment Drawing Salve ichthammol ointment which is an old remedy from way back before i was born & it works...!!! GREAT..!!!

 

[mobius]

I believe the ichthammol is essentially a coal tar derivative...might try mixing a bit up as an experiment (for me, not the chickens). I do have the ichthammol and I swear by it...

Ingredients on tube say petrolatum, ichthammol, light mineral oil, lanolin. Will research a bit more...

It is also known as ammonium bitumosulfonate. Interesting.

 

[sbhkma]

Ichthammol is my go-to for horses when they get a foot abscess, so I would guess it would be helpful for bumblefoot as well.

Edit: you can get ichthammol at Tractor Supply and online at Amazon, Valley Vet & more. It's pretty easy to find. Kinda stinky and looks yucky but it sure works!

 

[Diannastarr]

Ichthammol is my go-to for horses when they get a foot abscess, hse so I would guess it would be helpful for bumblefoot as well.

Edit: you can get ichthammol at Tractor Supply and online at Amazon, Valley Vet & more. It's pretty easy to find. Kinda stinky and looks yucky but it sure works!

yes it smells HA but its still one of the only 2 drawing salves that i know of in this day and age but it works great , so its still my go to remedy for people & animals , love your Arabian by the way mine had to be put down due to lime disease complications in winter in CT at age 48 ( Acaba ) her sire was nick named the rat from kent ct. if you follow famous Arabian blood lines of 60 years ago.

 

[PennyM]

Where does anyone find drawing salve? My girl with the swollen foot is still swollen. It's not hard like it was but it feels warm to me. I was going to soak it again today but thought I'd try some drawing salve.

I bought mine at Walmart but I did have to ask the pharmacist for help finding it.