Spot on bottom of Hens foot

[Chrisandheather]

Any idea what this is? Was cleaning a hen up for show and noticed this spot. The whole foot is somewhat swollen, too.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

That is bumble foot. Seems to be an advanced stage. It may require surgery. I’ll tag some people who can help you. @Eggcessive @KikisGirls @azygous @casportpony

 

[Kiki]

That is bumble foot. Seems to be an advanced stage. It may require surgery. I’ll tag some people who can help you. @Eggcessive @KikisGirls @azygous @casportpony

Yes it is!

You will need to scrape the scab off and dig the pus out for it to heal.
Pus is hard, not soft.

 

[rebrascora]

Soaking first in a warm Epsom Salts solution will soften the scab and make the job a little easier. Make sure you have all the essential first aid products ready to pack and bandage it before you start cutting/scraping. There are You Tube videos that illustrate what to do much better than words can describe

 

[azygous]

What bumblefoot is more than anything is a staph infection. Staph bacteria needs to be treated with respect as it can infect you if you have any open cuts on your hands coming into contact with the infected tissue.

Some folks find the word "surgery" off-putting, but it just means you are scraping away the dead and infected tissue. By soaking the feet in warm Epsom salt water for around twenty minutes, it will help soften and lift up the black scab, making it easier to remove. A lot of the time, most of the waxy pus comes out attached to the scab. You only need then to scrape out any leftover pus.

Before you begin, lay out a one-inch by eighteen inch strip of Vetrap and a one inch square of a gauze non-stick pad, along with a tube of triple antibiotic ointment and a bottle of Vetericyn. Have Q-tips, cotton balls, and a basin of clean water handy in case you need them.

After soaking and scraping out the infection, clean it off with more soap and water, rinse and dry. Spray the Vetericyn on the wound and let dry. (A hair dryer comes in handy to speed up the process.)

Dab the ointment on, not too much, place a non-stick pad on the wound and carefully wrap the foot, securely but not so tight it cuts off circulation, with the strip of Vetrap, going around the foot and between all the toes, finishing near the back of the shank by pressing the Vetrap against itself so the chicken can't peck it loose.

If you wrap the foot well, no dirt can get into the wound and the chicken can be returned to the flock. Check on the wound every two days, resoaking and bandaging until the wound heals. Light cases heal in less than a week. Serious cases require weeks of treatment. I had one that took two years to resolve. Patience is necessary.

 

[rebrascora]

Really