Possible bumblefoot?

[azygous]

@rosemarythyme has given you excellent instructions. Yes, you can use a non-stick pad over the cleaned out wound, then wrap with Vetrap securely but not tight enough to restrict blood flow. The Vetrap does a good job of keeping dirt out of the wound, so you can return the patient to the flock. I never keep a bumblefoot patient away from their mates.

Don't worry about the bandage getting dirty and muddy. The wound should stay clean. You can use a drawing salve on the wound. Pine tar is a very ancient wound treatment that still works after 2000 years. You don't need a bandage with it. You apply it and let it harden, then the chicken is good to go. No further treatment is usually needed. I've never used the method, though, but some here on BYC use it.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Do you use a non stick gauze pad also or just the wrap? So you soak every day for a week, correct or just the couple times and then do bandages daily? I would love to be able to leave her outside(much easier!)but can't guarantee the weather will cooperate. Rained all day the last few days with wind so it blows in the run some. Has anyone used like water/weather proof tape or something over wrap? Assume it will be some time before she will go back outside since needs to heal all the way. She is not going to be happy inside without the others.

I use a gauze pad if it's a really large or nasty looking wound but about 90% of time it's just vetwrap.

I soak daily for about 5-7 days, then depending on how it looks I'll reduce the amount of soaking (like every other day) or stop completely.

If it does happen to rain while I'm treating a bird, I still leave them outside as my run doesn't really get muddy. I've never tried waterproofing the vetwrap with anything over it, as I'd be more worried about the waterproof tape holding in moisture compared to the vetwrap which would naturally dry out a bit if the rain were to taper off (which is another reason I don't usually use gauze). If the weather is pretty bad, I have an isolation unit in the run (my brooder) that does a good enough job staying dry inside that the treated chicken can stay there while still in eyesight of the rest of the flock.

 

[Diana_burns04]

One of my hens has some redness on her foot. She has strange feet anyways...think a birth defect or something?..outside toes turn oddly and she has some kind of growths(had those for a long time-no issues) Not sure if she could have bumblefoot? I don't have any experience with it. Took some pictures tonight. Pardon the mud, it rained all day here so their feet are a bit muddy. Was a chore to take the pictures in coop with them all being curious about my phone lol. She is not one that is easy to handle...she is the one who seeks you out to peck you lol. Any thoughts on possible bumblefoot? Read something online that said could soak her foot in water with epsom salt and use vetericyn spray-would that be best idea? She is not acting like it hurts/limping. Worried as appears red is "streaking." Also-roost not pictured, she was on edge of droppings tray filled with PDZ. Thank you! View attachment 1964248 View attachment 1964249View attachment 1964250

I

Can you pick up her foot! See If there is a scab

 

[bmetz]

@rosemarythyme has given you excellent instructions. Yes, you can use a non-stick pad over the cleaned out wound, then wrap with Vetrap securely but not tight enough to restrict blood flow. The Vetrap does a good job of keeping dirt out of the wound, so you can return the patient to the flock. I never keep a bumblefoot patient away from their mates.

Don't worry about the bandage getting dirty and muddy. The wound should stay clean. You can use a drawing salve on the wound. Pine tar is a very ancient wound treatment that still works after 2000 years. You don't need a bandage with it. You apply it and let it harden, then the chicken is good to go. No further treatment is usually needed. I've never used the method, though, but some here on BYC use it.

I'm not sure how tight is too tight? Hard to explain and "know" I am sure. I wouldn't mind putting her back out but will she roost ok with her foot hurting? Below freezing here at night. I could put her on roost in evening and take off roost in morning before work(not quite light yet but better than a painful jump) If I put her out and the wrap comes off...just clean it out again etc and should be ok? Lol sorry, debating to keep in a day or 2 to see if wrap holds and then put out again or just put her out after wrapping it later. Thank you!

 

[bmetz]

I use a gauze pad if it's a really large or nasty looking wound but about 90% of time it's just vetwrap.

I soak daily for about 5-7 days, then depending on how it looks I'll reduce the amount of soaking (like every other day) or stop completely.

If it does happen to rain while I'm treating a bird, I still leave them outside as my run doesn't really get muddy. I've never tried waterproofing the vetwrap with anything over it, as I'd be more worried about the waterproof tape holding in moisture compared to the vetwrap which would naturally dry out a bit if the rain were to taper off (which is another reason I don't usually use gauze). If the weather is pretty bad, I have an isolation unit in the run (my brooder) that does a good enough job staying dry inside that the treated chicken can stay there while still in eyesight of the rest of the flock.

Ok, thank you. Like 10 minutes each soaking?
Makes sense about the waterproof tape holding moisture in etc. I can add more shavings again so less chance of mud but the edges do get wet sometimes if rain blows in.
Worried about her roosting with sore foot but could put her on at night and take off in morning if needed to. Below freezing here at night. Wondering if my wrap will hold also(never done any of this before lol), if she gets it off and gets dirty will it be ok if clean it again etc? Was debating keeping in a day or two to see how my wrap holds and then put out. Thank you!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I'm not sure how tight is too tight? Hard to explain and "know" I am sure. I wouldn't mind putting her back out but will she roost ok with her foot hurting? Below freezing here at night. I could put her on roost in evening and take off roost in morning before work(not quite light yet but better than a painful jump) If I put her out and the wrap comes off...just clean it out again etc and should be ok? Lol sorry, debating to keep in a day or 2 to see if wrap holds and then put out again or just put her out after wrapping it later. Thank you!

"Tight enough" is snug enough so it doesn't slip off or slide out of position, but not so tight is where there's not room to allow for the foot to flex naturally, where you're risking cutting off circulation.

You'll find yourself having to redo it a few times at first (trust me, I found a few AWOL foot wraps in my run at first until I learned how to wrap it tightly enough and secure it properly). If a chicken loses the vetwrap I've always just waited until the next day, soak, clean out the wound well, rewrap at that time - my thought is I don't want to wrap it again without at least soaking it first as it's more beneficial to let the wound drain than wrapping up a dirty foot.

To test if the wrap is on securely (at first), once I wrap a foot I put the chicken down and let it go a few steps to make sure that at least initially, the wrap seems to sit correctly and the chicken can move their foot without issue.

Mine have all roosted with the vetwrap on without issue.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Ok, thank you. Like 10 minutes each soaking?

I always aim to soak around 15 min, though there's some variance probably between 12-18ish. I don't time it. The hens let me know when it's been long enough because I can hear them starting to rustle around in the "tub." I use a tall round kitty litter box with a vented lid and just drape an old pair of blue jeans over the entrance, much preferable than having to bring them inside to a kitchen sink!

 

[bmetz]

Ok well to put it nicely...that sucked! She was really calm with the towel over her and her head till I pulled on the scab. All heck broke loose lol. I felt like the biggest monster ever. Finally got it all done and wrapped. So now she has a small scab on the other foot also. Tiny but there. I pulled that a bit too since softened from soaking too...nothing hard inside I could feel and nothing I could squeeze out. I put drawing salve on that one and wrapped it. Is that what I should do for one like that? Also, when do you stop bandaging their feet? Like all the way healed and new skin or after a week or two or? I tried to tell her it was to help her but boy did I feel like a huge jerk!

 

[bmetz]

"Tight enough" is snug enough so it doesn't slip off or slide out of position, but not so tight is where there's not room to allow for the foot to flex naturally, where you're risking cutting off circulation.

You'll find yourself having to redo it a few times at first (trust me, I found a few AWOL foot wraps in my run at first until I learned how to wrap it tightly enough and secure it properly). If a chicken loses the vetwrap I've always just waited until the next day, soak, clean out the wound well, rewrap at that time - my thought is I don't want to wrap it again without at least soaking it first as it's more beneficial to let the wound drain than wrapping up a dirty foot.

To test if the wrap is on securely (at first), once I wrap a foot I put the chicken down and let it go a few steps to make sure that at least initially, the wrap seems to sit correctly and the chicken can move their foot without issue.

Mine have all roosted with the vetwrap on without issue.

Thank you for all of this!

 

[bmetz]

I always aim to soak around 15 min, though there's some variance probably between 12-18ish. I don't time it. The hens let me know when it's been long enough because I can hear them starting to rustle around in the "tub." I use a tall round kitty litter box with a vented lid and just drape an old pair of blue jeans over the entrance, much preferable than having to bring them inside to a kitchen sink!

The litter box is a great idea! I used a small tub and she tried to get out several times even with me near but she wasn't bad overall considering she didn't know what the heck I was doing lol. Got 20 minutes so that was good. Have you had to do a lot of these before? I feel awful like it is my fault. Ugh.