Topic of the Week - Bumblefoot - Prevention and Treatment

[RodNTN]

One of my Easter Egger hens, Ginger, had a nasty Bumblefoot bump on the bottom of her foot. She was limping, sometimes she wouldn't even walk.

I didn't want to remove it by surgery, so instead I searched up easier ways. After that, I would soak her foot in a warm bowl of water with Epsom salt in it two times a day. I would then wrap it in Band-aids. She was also drinking in apple cider vinegar water.

After about three days, the bump shrank a significant size. After about 2 weeks, the bump was gone.

I loved this treatment, and would gladly do it again

 

[FarmerGirl101]

I have experience with a very minor form of bumblefoot. I gave each chicken a wellness check and there were one or two with what appeared to be bumblefoot. I took the first to the garage, turned the sink on warm (but not hot, of course) and massaged the place where the scab was until eventually I could pull it off. Then to make sure the healthy tissue underneath wouldn't get infected I put some Neosporin on the spot and bandaged it. I repeated the same steps with the other and checked back the next day. There were new, healthy scabs and the treatment went successfully. Granted, though, I had caught it early and did not have to do anything too drastic. Just goes to show that you should give your birds check-ups now and then.
I have some Leghorns that have it so I was looking for a treatment as surgery would be expensive for 4 birds so I will surely try this! thank you!

 

[Abriana]

I’m sorry! I completely forgot about the picture. I’ll try to get them in the morning.

 

[Ducklingmum]

hello guys. thankfully my ducks have not had bumblefoot, but like most people on here I like to have a well stocked medicine box for treatment. I just looked on EBay for Neosporin - is this for humans but ok to use on ducks? I live in the UK and it looks a lot like Germaline.. could this be ok to use on them?

 

[Dawnclucks22]

hello guys. thankfully my ducks have not had bumblefoot, but like most people on here I like to have a well stocked medicine box for treatment. I just looked on EBay for Neosporin - is this for humans but ok to use on ducks? I live in the UK and it looks a lot like Germaline.. could this be ok to use on them?

Yes, if it's non-medicated.

 

[MINDANAO DAVE]

I was viewing my chickens when I noticed that my large rooster was limping very bad. Checked it out and it was bumble feet. Soaked it a couple of days no luck. Got out my surgical bag and opened up the foot. Large abscess was noted. I dug around looking for the yellow core.,no luck. Closed the foot with antibiotics. The next day swollen, reopened the foot abscess drained. I started pushing down towards the foot and out comes the yellow core but in pieces. Three days of this and still the same. I worked this bird for three weeks and he really never recovered. I ended up putting him down.

 

[EllieW]

Bumblefoot is always (or mostly) an infection from staph aureus, the same critter that causes MRSA in hospitals. It is ubiquitous., (Sorry if that info already appears in this thread--I didn't read every page). Anyway, There is a mastitis medicine specifically for Staph aureus for milking animals (I have goats and learned about it the hard way). It is called 'Today' and is infused into udders. It's a heavy creamy paste and I have successfully treated a chicken with bumblefoot by rubbing some on her foot night and morning when she was on the roost. Mostly I got it on the top of her foot because she was not readily catchable very often. She is completely healed now. I think it might have taken less time had I soaked the foot and gotten the scab off sooner but that was not practical. In goats and cows, the milk withdrawal time is 4 milkings (two days) and Today is available over the counter from livestock supply places. I also used it on myself after a surgical incision infection that doctors' antibiotics could not heal after months of antibiotics. Cleared it right up.

 

[Farmrrrr]

One of my leghorns had bumblefoot we cut out the hard white lump and treated her with tricide neo {a koi fish treatment} for a week, she came around very quickly and was scratching and foraging with the rest of the flock within 12 days. I have seen quite a bit of bumblefoot thru the years,but never a recover so quickly figure it must of been the tricide neo, I read about using this from another BYC member.Thank you.

 

[casportpony]

One of my leghorns had bumblefoot we cut out the hard white lump and treated her with tricide neo {a koi fish treatment} for a week, she came around very quickly and was scratching and foraging with the rest of the flock within 12 days. I have seen quite a bit of bumblefoot thru the years,but never a recover so quickly figure it must of been the tricide neo, I read about using this from another BYC member.Thank you.

Welcome to BYC and thanks for sharing your experience!

 

[casportpony]

Bumblefoot is always (or mostly) an infection from staph aureus, the same critter that causes MRSA in hospitals. It is ubiquitous., (Sorry if that info already appears in this thread--I didn't read every page). Anyway, There is a mastitis medicine specifically for Staph aureus for milking animals (I have goats and learned about it the hard way). It is called 'Today' and is infused into udders. It's a heavy creamy paste and I have successfully treated a chicken with bumblefoot by rubbing some on her foot night and morning when she was on the roost. Mostly I got it on the top of her foot because she was not readily catchable very often. She is completely healed now. I think it might have taken less time had I soaked the foot and gotten the scab off sooner but that was not practical. In goats and cows, the milk withdrawal time is 4 milkings (two days) and Today is available over the counter from livestock supply places. I also used it on myself after a surgical incision infection that doctors' antibiotics could not heal after months of antibiotics. Cleared it right up.

Thanks for the info! I looked it up and it's cephapirin, which I think is a good broadspectrum antibiotic. Probably a good one to add to one's first aid kit. Thanks for sharing!