Caring for Salmon Faverolles with Chronic Bumblefoot | A Journal with Pictures

[Elspeth Dinsmore]

That's so crazy!! I wouldn't have known what to do. I never thought of of something like that could happen.
I'm so glad they're better!

I had no idea something like that could happen either! It was crazy! I have heard opposite views on worming. Some people say to use dewormers and some say not to use dewormers. It took a while for us to figure what to do and which advice to take. Now I know how important it is to deworm! We are going to have to be on a rigid schedule so that they don't get as bad in the future. Someone suggested we might have more worms in our particular area.
I'm so thankful our chickens are feeling better now!

 

[Tookie]

I had no idea something like that could happen either! It was crazy! I have heard opposite views on worming. Some people say to use dewormers and some say not to use dewormers. It took a while for us to figure what to do and which advice to take. Now I know how important it is to deworm! We are going to have to be on a rigid schedule so that they don't get as bad in the future. Someone suggested we might have more worms in our particular area.
I'm so thankful our chickens are feeling better now!

I think worming just a few times a year should be good. But, if you're more comfortable doing it more often then that's okay!

 

[Elspeth Dinsmore]

That's so crazy!! I wouldn't have known what to do. I never thought of of something like that could happen.
I'm so glad they're better!

I think Ms. Azygous said a regular six-month schedule would be best for us to use in our area!

I'm about to go out and check the Faverolles! Hopefully I'll be able to update soon.

 

[Elspeth Dinsmore]

┈┉─━⊰ Update #8 ⊱━─┉┈​

The girls went about 8 days without any treatments. We were facing an emergency situation with some other hens.
We are on day 64 since treatment was started on Brie and Mari.
We are on day 33 since treatment was started on Debbi.

____________________

Brie is currently being treated with Banixx and Povidone Iodine to clean the wound and Triple Antibiotic Cream to help heal.
As I carefully removed a small scab from her foot, I was shocked how much pus erupted from the site. I quickly snapped a picture for everyone to see:

Spoiler: Pus

I successfully removed a dark scab with white material attached to the bottom. I think I might have pushed the core out as well!

Here is her right foot currently.

I noticed the top of her foot was still very swollen. It had gotten larger since I last worked on it:

As I massaged the area, more pus kept flowing from the wound. Like... it was a lot! I couldn't believe how much came out. Most of it was a creamy and slightly thick liquid. The lumps on the top of her foot actually deflated:

I continued to massage until I was certain everything I could get out came out. In one sense, I actually felt really good about it. I'm certain that removed a ton of pressure from her foot.

I looked in my box for a syringe to flush the wound with salt water. The only one within reach was actually a syringe with a needle. I removed the needle and used it as it was. I actually think it worked better than if I had a regular syringe at reach. The way it was designed, I could press the nozzle against the wound flat and it would seal the area as I squeezed salt water into the wound:

I could literally re-inflate the top of her foot with the saline solution. Then I massaged and more pus flushed out. I continued until no more pus came with the saline solution.

I squirted Banixx into the wound, dried the area, and then dropped Povidone Iodine in as well.

Then I packed the wound with Triple Antibiotic Cream and wrapped her feet again.

I was actually able to remove the scab on Brie's other foot for the first time. Then I treated it the same as the left, minus the saline solution.

Here are her before and after pictures.

____________________

Debbi is almost entirely healed! I am ecstatic! I cannot believe the quick turnaround. Only 33 days and my girl is doing this well! I have actually been using Bag Balm on her foot the past three or so treatments. I think it worked wonderfully!

(I apologize for the different lighting. The sun was setting.)

Note: She had a tiny cut on her back toe. I will keep an eye on it. I have no idea how she got it.

Here are her before and after pictures! Look at the improvement:

____________________

Mari is doing about the same. She's a little better than the last three treatments. It feels like her scabs keep changing. Sometimes they will be dark and need to be removed, and sometimes they look healthy. The small bit of swelling on her toes went away now thankfully. I decided to switch her from the Corona Ointment to Bag Balm and see if it works for her like it did for Debbi.

Here are her before and after pictures:

 

[Tookie]

~ Update #8 ~

The girls went about 8 days without any treatments. We were facing an emergency situation with some other hens.
We are on day 64 since treatment was started on Brie and Mari.
We are on day 33 since treatment was started on Debbi.

____________________

Brie is currently being treated with Banixx and Povidone Iodine to clean the wound and Triple Antibiotic Cream to help heal.
As I carefully removed a small scab from her foot, I was shocked how much pus erupted from the site. I quickly snapped a picture for everyone to see:

Spoiler: Pus

View attachment 3865382

I successfully removed a dark scab with white material attached to the bottom. I think I might have pushed the core out as well!
View attachment 3865388
View attachment 3865389

Here is her right foot currently.
View attachment 3865494

I noticed the top of her foot was still very swollen. It had gotten larger since I last worked on it:
View attachment 3865383

As I massaged the area, more pus kept flowing from the wound. Like... it was a lot! I couldn't believe how much came out. Most of it was a creamy and slightly thick liquid. The lumps on the top of her foot actually deflated:
View attachment 3865387

I continued to massage until I was certain everything I could get out came out. In one sense, I actually felt really good about it. I'm certain that removed a ton of pressure from her foot.

I looked in my box for a syringe to flush the wound with salt water. The only one within reach was actually a syringe with a needle. I removed the needle and used it as it was. I actually think it worked better than if I had a regular syringe at reach. The way it was designed, I could press the nozzle against the wound flat and it would seal the area as I squeezed salt water into the wound:
View attachment 3865390

I could literally re-inflate the top of her foot with the saline solution. Then I massaged and more pus flushed out. I continued until no more pus came with the saline solution.

I squirted Banixx into the wound, dried the area, and then dropped Povidone Iodine in as well.

Then I packed the wound with Triple Antibiotic Cream and wrapped her feet again.

I was actually able to remove the scab on Brie's other foot for the first time. Then I treated it the same as the left, minus the saline solution.
View attachment 3865393

Here are her before and after pictures.
View attachment 3865483

____________________

Debbi is almost entirely healed! I am ecstatic! I cannot believe the quick turnaround. Only 33 days and my girl is doing this well! I have actually been using Bag Balm on her foot the past three or so treatments. I think it worked wonderfully!

(I apologize for the different lighting. The sun was setting.)
View attachment 3865394
View attachment 3865395
Note: She had a tiny cut on her back toe. I will keep an eye on it. I have no idea how she got it.

Here are her before and after pictures! Look at the improvement:
View attachment 3865482

____________________

Mari is doing about the same. She's a little better than the last three treatments. It feels like her scabs keep changing. Sometimes they will be dark and need to be removed, and sometimes they look healthy. The small bit of swelling on her toes went away now thankfully. I decided to switch her from the Corona Ointment to Bag Balm and see if it works for her like it did for Debbi.

Here are her before and after pictures:
View attachment 3865481

Yayyy! Much improvement! So glad to hear, and see, this! Keep up the good work.

 

[Fontaine]

Thanks for helping with my birdies! It's so nice of you to keep coming back and checking on them! I will treat it like it is bumble foot.

I checked her foot on Friday and it looked like the swelling had gone down some. It's still pretty bad but at least it's better than it was! I'm gonna check it soon again.

I am so sorry you’re going through all this. I have to commend you for all your hard work and dedication to your lovely girl. Give yourself a pat on the back!

 

[Elspeth Dinsmore]

I am so sorry you’re going through all this. I have to commend you for all your hard work and dedication to your lovely girl. Give yourself a pat on the back!

Aww, that is so sweet of you! Thanks for the encouragement! It's been a lot of hard and discouraging work. I sure hope we are getting close to them being all the way better soon.

 

[Elspeth Dinsmore]

┈┉─━⊰ Update #9 ⊱━─┉┈​

This is just a quick update from some work I did on Saturday. Mari and Debbi are about the same, so I won't go into any detail on them. This will basically all be about Brie.

___________________________
I wanna say Brie's swelling went down an itsy-bit, but I might just be being hopeful.

She actually got a bruise somehow. This led to me discovering for the first time that chickens bruise green.

I don't know why the lower part of her foot pad looks so red. I didn't change the treatment.

The hole in her foot completely closed over the day after I took this picture. I hope that's a good thing. The problem is that if she produces more pus, I won't be able to get it out and clean it now. So long as that doesn't happen, I'm glad it is closed.

She doesn't have a scab anymore, which is encouraging.

This photo is from Saturday:

I do think the top of her foot is looking better than it was before.

Her other foot seems to be healing. It doesn't have a dark scab anymore. It looks like a wound that is trying to close up in a healthy way.

She has been feeling a little poor as of late. Brie has always panted, but now she is doing it really hard. It is way harder than the other chickens. She stretches her neck up real high and just gasps in and out. She definitely looks like she doesn't feel the best. I think she's having trouble handling heat outside, bumblefoot, and maybe some slight respiratory issues as well.

I brought her inside yesterday and gave her a cool bath. I put VetRX on her comb too. She actually stopped panting and slept in my arms for maybe a couple hours. I think she really enjoyed it. I gave her a couple other things to help her as well and re-wrapped her feet again.

I noticed she panted way less in the coop last night, despite the fact it was almost 100 degrees during the day. That's encouraging!
She came inside today as well to get a break from the heat.

I'm gonna continue giving her some things and see if she improves.
I'll be back with another update if anything changes.

 

[Tookie]

~ Update #9 ~
This is just a quick update from some work I did on Saturday. Mari and Debbi are about the same, so I won't go into any detail on them. This will basically all be about Brie.

___________________________
I wanna say Brie's swelling went down an itsy-bit, but I might just be being hopeful.

She actually got a bruise somehow. This led to me discovering for the first time that chickens bruise green.

I don't know why the lower part of her foot pad looks so red. I didn't change the treatment.

The hole in her foot completely closed over the day after I took this picture. I hope that's a good thing. The problem is that if she produces more pus, I won't be able to get it out and clean it now. So long as that doesn't happen, I'm glad it is closed.

She doesn't have a scab anymore, which is encouraging.

This photo is from Saturday:
View attachment 3871049

I do think the top of her foot is looking better than it was before.
View attachment 3871054
View attachment 3871055

Her other foot seems to be healing. It doesn't have a dark scab anymore. It looks like a wound that is trying to close up in a healthy way.

She has been feeling a little poor as of late. Brie has always panted, but now she is doing it really hard. It is way harder than the other chickens. She stretches her neck up real high and just gasps in and out. She definitely looks like she doesn't feel the best. I think she's having trouble handling heat outside, bumblefoot, and maybe some slight respiratory issues as well.

I brought her inside yesterday and gave her a cool bath. I put VetRX on her comb too. She actually stopped panting and slept in my arms for maybe a couple hours. I think she really enjoyed it. I gave her a couple other things to help her as well and re-wrapped her feet again.

I noticed she panted way less in the coop last night, despite the fact it was almost 100 degrees during the day. That's encouraging!
She came inside today as well to get a break from the heat.

I'm gonna continue giving her some things and see if she improves.
I'll be back with another update if anything changes.

Glad to hear and see she's improved some! Hopefully that swelling goes down.

Faverolles definitely have a harder time with heat. Its good you're bringing her inside and giving her little breaks.
Lots of shade and cool fresh water will help, which I'm sure you've got that. Frozen treats should help too.
For night time in the coop lots of ventilation will keep it cooler.

 

[Elspeth Dinsmore]

Glad to hear and see she's improved some! Hopefully that swelling goes down.

Faverolles definitely have a harder time with heat. Its good you're bringing her inside and giving her little breaks.
Lots of shade and cool fresh water will help, which I'm sure you've got that. Frozen treats should help too.
For night time in the coop lots of ventilation will keep it cooler.

Thanks so much, Tookie!
My mom and sister made some frozen treats for them! The chickens have a kiddie pool of water to wade in. We also take frozen water bottles out to cool their drinking water. And recently, we set up some tarps to provide even more shade.

Hopefully, they should have enough ventilation in the coop. We have a large window that I open wide in the summer. They have a solar powered fan that blows air out of the coop during daytime. And my dad built the coop so that the roofs eaves allow air out. Here's a picture of them when they were little at the window: