Terrible Foot Issue-Not Bumble

[lynnielynd]

Please do not judge me too much even though I deserve it. I have about a hundred girls. Their care is so important to me and I use the vet a lot.

One of my girls limped past me the other day. I immediately picked her up and almost died on the spot when I saw what looked like enormous mud balls on the pads of her feet. Except they are attached. My area has a lot of stickers so bumbles are very common and I’m always working on them. This is not a bumble. It’s nowhere close. The top layers almost peel off, but it’s like it’s attached all the way down. I’m certain it’s poop and mud because it smells like it.

my ducks had taught themselves to open the rain barrel spigots so until we stopped them they had a lot of mud in one end of the run. That’s the only explanation I have. Perhaps this got into small bumbles and became this?

im so traumatized by this and of course my baby is too. I’ve been soaking her every day in Epsom salts, spraying with poultry spray, and giving her Baytril shots. The top of her feet and toes are very swollen and red. I don’t know that what I’ve done is helping.

I’d sure appreciate any advice.

ive attached before photos from five days ago and now. The first two darker photos are today.

 

[Brightside1]

The obvious thing to do is to clean those feet by soaking in warm water and epsom salts And then get as much if that mess off of them as you can. Get some wound treatment and keep the bird on a pine shacing floor in a large cage with food and water and clean it and change the water and food every day. That bird has to heal. Clean the area up thoroughly Where the hens go and get the stickers out of the area.Dif them up with a screwdriver and your hands and put them into a bucket and then into the trash bag and the take it away from the property. Too bad I don’t live close to you because I would help but you can reach out to any local backyard chicken group on Facebook and ask for help. You have to fix this environment! Honestly you Should not keep poultry where they can be injured. You have to make the great and honest effort to do the thorough clean up or adopt out the chickens to a better place to live. They deserve that.

 

[Matejka]

I believe it is packed dirt/debris. I would soak multiple times a day and get it off. Your doing good-continue what your doing-just soak foot more and try to remove as much as possible.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I’m certain it’s poop and mud because it smells like it.

I’ve been soaking her every day in Epsom salts, spraying with poultry spray, and giving her Baytril shots. The top of her feet and toes are very swollen and red. I don’t know that what I’ve done is helping.

You may need to get more aggressive in getting that out of the foot.
I think after soaking, I would try using an orange stick (like for cuticles on nails) or something similar to see if I could chip most of that off. I do agree that a lot of it looks like hardened debris/mud/poop, but there's a good possibility there's infection underneath.

This is what I would be inclined to do - soak, clean and remove what you can. Dry the feet and toes very well, apply triple antibiotic ointment or similar to just the hardened balls on the feet to keep that area moist. Wrap the feet in sports wrap and cage her on clean dry shavings or you can use puppy. Pads. Hopefully this will help break down some of that so you can get it loose so you can finally get to her skin and see what else needs to be done.

You are administering Baytril right now - is she acting unwell or is this as a "preventative" for infection? It's a good antibiotic, but since you have dealt with bumblefoot before, then you understand that Baytril alone will not clear up any infection like this in the foot, debris and/or pus has to be removed as well.

Keep us posted on your progress. If you can also take more photos as you go that would be good - it helps us all learn.

 

[Lovem all]

Yeah, soak her feet and try to get it off slowly but as soon as possible

 

[Matejka]

I wonder......
Would soaking in cooking/vegetable oil soften it enough to scrape/dig it out?
Just a thought.
You do need to get the black out asap and evaluate the foot for injury/damage/infection. I feel it's caked/packed dirt-poop.

 

[Matejka]

Another thought b can you treat it like a blackhead, and try to pop it out? Put pressure on top if foot and sides and gently squeeze. Just thinking.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I wonder......
Would soaking in cooking/vegetable oil soften it enough to scrape/dig it out?
Just a thought.
You do need to get the black out asap and evaluate the foot for injury/damage/infection. I feel it's caked/packed dirt-poop.

Good thought. I was trying to remember what helps dissolve debris like that. I actually think it is Hydrogen Peroxide, but may be wrong. I don't think I would soak the whole foot in Peroxide, but apply it to just the debris.

 

[Matejka]

Good thought. I was trying to remember what helps dissolve debris like that. I actually think it is Hydrogen Peroxide, but may be wrong. I don't think I would soak the whole foot in Peroxide, but apply it to just the debris.

Another good thought.

 

[Matejka]

What about soak, clean, remove, slather in Vaseline and wrap then try to remove more ?