swollen areas on skin between toes?

[nfwc1964]

Just noticed 2 chickens with swollen lumps on skin between their toes. Not sure if stepped on stinging insect? Other 11 chickens seem fine.

 

[Suzie]

It is difficult to see but they may be suffering from bumblefoot...look for a brown or black scab on the underside of their feet...if so, this can be treated...

 

[iwiw60]

Without seeing a pic of the actual bottom of the foot it's really hard to tell as the previous poster said, but yes it sounds like bumblefoot:

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/search?q=bumblefoot

 

[nfwc1964]

I looked at the link & I think it is bumblefoot.
The woman in the link suggests sand floor in coop instead of hay or pine shavings to help in possibly preventing
bumblefoot.

Pros vs Cons?

 

[Meeka3]

I found the same lump on the bottom of one of my hen's foot this morning, I scratched the scab and some pus came out. I just looked up the link and watched the video of them cutting the chooks foot to get the infection out and I definitely couldn't do it, so it looks like a trip to the vet might be on my agenda. What a coincidence that I found your thread and the response that told me it is bumblefoot just when I needed it. I hope your chooks get better as well.

 

[iwiw60]

I looked at the link & I think it is bumblefoot.
The woman in the link suggests sand floor in coop instead of hay or pine shavings to help in possibly preventing
bumblefoot.

Pros vs Cons?

Me personally? I use pine wood shavings. They are very soft (at least the ones I buy are) and my floor bedding is about 4" deep and my girls love it. For me, living in snow country, using sand would be much 'colder' on their feet...I don't know, to each his own I guess!

 

[nfwc1964]

Went ahead & ordered supplies we'll need to treat bumblefoot. When they arrive we're going to catch every hen look at their feet, clean their butts (if need be) and do a good look over

 

[Meeka3]

I took my chook with bumblefoot to the vet and she said that it would be very cruel to cut the foot open while the chook is awake like they did on that video, and she would never do it. She made a donut shoe for her to take the pressure off the lump and I have to hold a gauze cloth soaked in water and betadine on it for 20 minutes each day and give her a dose of anti inflamitory medicine. If this doesn't improve in one weeks time, she is going to operate on the foot under anisthetic. The donut is made from foam and bandage tape, and she's certainly walking much easier with it on.

 

[nfwc1964]

didn't like the cutting idea, but will soak foot in warm water to soften it up, will also use betadine & antibiotic ointment. Chickens aren't showing signs of discomfort walking but will still put foam on their feet. Could you take picture of donut/foam for reference?
thanks,
Nancy

 

[nfwc1964]

only got thru 6 chickens out of 15, of the 6 only 2 had good feet. The ones that had a scab I soaked in warm water, gently picked at scab until it came off.
Then squeezed but no one had pus coming out or no foul smell - saturated with betadine, apply triple antibiotic ointment, non-stick gauze pad & wrapped real well with vet wrap. Will recheck the bad ones tomorrow or should I wait a few days before removing the bandage?

I definitely won't cut their feet; I'm not a vet or surgeon