The Old Folks Home

[drumstick diva]

must be a "No Bumble Zone!"

 

[ChickenCanoe]

We have had our fair share of bumble and it sucks. This is a good approach and has worked very well for us. Lately we've taken a minimalist approach - washing the feet, just getting the scab out or off (depending on the type of scab) with a razor blade/scalpel and tweezers to expose the hole. We no longer do any exploratory and try to get a "plug." Express pus by squishing foot, if needed, then wash with chlorhexidine soap, packing with triple antibiotic ointment (neosporin). Cover the foot externally with neosporin, then wrap, if possible and put them in a clean, dry cage with dim lights. So far it seems to be working as well as the more exploratory "surgery" but we don't yet have enough data to say for sure.

Right now we have a turkey hen in our bumble hospital. Her feet were awful. I was embarrassed we let it go as long as we did but if you needed 3 people to help with a chicken imagine what a turkey is like. Her feet were very swollen, she could barely walk. We thought we'd try to fix her, but knew culling was likely. We did the minimalist approach above... because if you haven't been slapped in the face with panicked turkey wings, you're really missing out... and her feet are a lot better. They're not perfect, but the major infection is gone. We will maybe have to cut into one of the feet again - it hadn't formed a real bumble scab so it was difficult to deal with. She doesn't let us wrap them well and as soon as she gets free from us (even if the lights are off) she works the bandages off. So we even don't bandage her. She got the majorly minimalist approach.

I've gone minimalist too. No longer do the surgery. Epsom salt soaks and an ointment of CEH calendula, echinacea and hypericum (St. Johns wort). Load up the foot pad, wrap in gauze and vet wrap. I try to repeat it every day or two.
I think all mine are cured. At least no swelling any more.

So what causes bumble to begin with? I always check my birds feet, but forget what actually causes it.

And yes, the lovely turkey slap! My spring hatch last year, I had only one turkey make it. She lived with the chickens for a while, and did not like to go in the coop at night. She would go in at dark if they were already in the run, but if I had let them free range, she would roost on top of the run. I'd have to grab her down at dusk to put her inside. One evening I went to grab her as I always did, and she surprised me with an awesome left hook! My cheekbone hurt for days!

A cut or a scrape causes bacteria to get in the foot and then start the infective process.

We have soooo many rocks here - there's really no "soil" so I'm thinking that is why we see it a lot. Most of our bumbles resolve on their own without intervention.

Apparently staph bacteria are everywhere there are chickens and it gets into that cut.

We have never had a bumble.

This is my first year with bumblefoot.
I figured out what it was. I had some ragged chicken wire wrapped around a horizontal board the chickens decided to roost on. That is the only building that has ever had bumblefoot and most of the birds had it.

 

[drumstick diva]

Does anyone remember Robert Loggia? He just passed at 85. Maybe "The 9 lives of Elfego Bacca." rings a bell. I remember the name and what he looked like but, have no idea what the show was about.

 

[Peep_Show]

Turkey slap... Ouch! I had a tom nearly break my nose. Needless to say, when it was processing time for the flock he was the first in line. I don't think I gave him the destiny talk, either.

(Much as that smarted, I think geese have far more punch in their wings)

 

[drumstick diva]

I think it's Chicago, that has a 5 k Elvis Run, why not have a few laughs ? I think it's neat. I'm a decent walker but, the only running I ever do is to the "ladies room."

 

[Peep_Show]

Yes, saw that he passed. Apparently Alzheimer's (sp) for the last five years. He did the piano keyboard dance with Tom Hanks in "Big"

 

[Peep_Show]

Las Vegas, NV, has a huge Santa Run every year to benefit Crones Disease research. Thousands of Santas in the wee hours of the dawn down The Strip.

 

[ronott1]

Las Vegas, NV, has a huge Santa Run every year to benefit Crones Disease research. Thousands of Santas in the wee hours of the dawn down The Strip.

San Francisco has the Bay to Breakers run. Some people run without clothes and many pick their own theme.

 

[perchie.girl]

regarding Bumble foot.

The ground here is very hard and abrasive. So much so I only had to trim Goat hooves once in the six years I had them. I try to keep the bedding deeper where they land from perches. so So far I havent had a case of it. KNock on wood.

I used the same materials for perches. Just two by threes. They fit perfectly into chainlink fence wire put in at a diagonal and they slide in with a little pressure then clocked into being flat and locked into the corners. Not a perfect solution because occasionally they would reposition at a diagonal. Plus I couldnt use them for my other cage wire.

So when I went to two by fours I drilled and screwed in eye two on each end. Those eyes work perfect for any cage wire I use. The two by fours are sturdier and flatter and easier to find ones without splinters.



Just rambling on I guess.

deb

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I broke down and popped for the Premier 1 brooding plates. I was just going to get the extra small to try it out but you get free shipping on orders over 100 so I got a small and an extra small both with covers. They were delivered yesterday. I'll install one later today to check them out. I have 5 chicks that came out of the hatcher yesterday.

Looking forward to the energy savings.
I have an LED light on a timer.