Treatments while molting?

[bhawk-23]

I am fighting with bumblefoot and she starting molting. I thought she was in a good enough place to stop treatment because she was in pain when I held her (wrapped in a towel).

Unfortunately, I made the wrong call and she needs more treatment but is still molting. Outside of a towel wrapped around her, is there anything else I can do to help alleviate the pain of handling while I get back to her treatments?

Thank you!

 

[Debbie292d]

You'll have to somehow. Bumblefoot can kill chickens, molting doesn't usually.

I know this has to be hard for both of you but I'd just try to go as loose as you can with the towel and be sure to go with the feathers not against them.

This would be a far-fetched idea, but what if you put her in a cardboard box with a hole for her head and two for her feet. A box only large enough for her, no room to flap wings. Then if you could sit her in her box on a tall counter or shelf or something so you can address the feet.

 

[alinas2010]

I am fighting with bumblefoot and she starting molting. I thought she was in a good enough place to stop treatment because she was in pain when I held her (wrapped in a towel).

Unfortunately, I made the wrong call and she needs more treatment but is still molting. Outside of a towel wrapped around her, is there anything else I can do to help alleviate the pain of handling while I get back to her treatments?

Thank you!

Poor girl, that sounds miserable. And poor you. I assume by treatments you mean soaking her foot? I had good luck laying down a puppy pad or towel and putting a shallow dish down. I filled that with the epsom salt soaking solution with a squirt of dish soap. I was able to entice her to stand by herself with one foot in the dish while I broke apart some long lasting snacks into tiny pieces. I think I used pancakes to keep her distracted, tuna flakes, chopped tomatoes…sometimes I got 20 mins sometimes only 5 but she usually did really well. See pic.

Unfortunately to bandage I still had to wrap her up in a towel, but perhaps you could wait a few days between bandage changes to avoid having her wrapped up quite as much until the molt is over.

I’ve also seen where someone taped a cotton ball soaked in the epsom salt solution to their chickens foot for the 20 mins instead of making them stand there the whole time and soak. Supposedly it worked really well.

 

[Debbie292d]

Poor girl, that sounds miserable. And poor you. I assume by treatments you mean soaking her foot? I had good luck laying down a puppy pad or towel and putting a shallow dish down. I filled that with the epsom salt soaking solution with a squirt of dish soap. I was able to entice her to stand by herself with one foot in the dish while I broke apart some long lasting snacks into tiny pieces. I think I used pancakes to keep her distracted, tuna flakes, chopped tomatoes…sometimes I got 20 mins sometimes only 5 but she usually did really well. See pic.

Unfortunately to bandage I still had to wrap her up in a towel, but perhaps you could wait a few days between bandage changes to avoid having her wrapped up quite as much until the molt is over.

I’ve also seen where someone taped a cotton ball soaked in the epsom salt solution to their chickens foot for the 20 mins instead of making them stand there the whole time and soak. Supposedly it worked really well.


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That's adorable! I kind of got the impression from the OP that a little bit of work on the foot like getting the scab or core out was what had to be done. If a soak is all that's needed, this is awesome as no touch but getting her in there.

 

[alinas2010]

That's adorable! I kind of got the impression from the OP that a little bit of work on the foot like getting the scab or core out was what had to be done. If a soak is all that's needed, this is awesome as no touch but getting her in there.

Thank you, I was always surprised at how well she behaved inside! I think being out of their element helps. Distraction really helps!

I was thinking that was probably the case, too but thought I’d share a tiny bit of hope incase maybe it was the stage where it was just soaking to soften the plug? Just maybe

 

[bhawk-23]

I cannot believe she stood there like that, adorable pictures!

Yeah, I need to get a good look at her foot pad. I’m still kinda hesitant. I cannot see swelling on the top portion of her foot nor toes and no constant or outright limp right now. I raked all the acorns falling to avoid a painful step on one. I am hoping to give it a few more days as she does not seem to be having a hard molt this year. When she rejoins the flock fully I will assume she is feeling well enough to be wrapped in a towel. She is still off to the side a bit with the other hen who is coming out of a hard molt right now.

 

[alinas2010]

I cannot believe she stood there like that, adorable pictures!

Yeah, I need to get a good look at her foot pad. I’m still kinda hesitant. I cannot see swelling on the top portion of her foot nor toes and no constant or outright limp right now. I raked all the acorns falling to avoid a painful step on one. I am hoping to give it a few more days as she does not seem to be having a hard molt this year. When she rejoins the flock fully I will assume she is feeling well enough to be wrapped in a towel. She is still off to the side a bit with the other hen who is coming out of a hard molt right now.

Well she had a good amount of treats to tempt her to stay still! Haha. I was very impressed with her myself, though.

I’m glad your hen isn’t so bad that she needs to be treated instantly. A few days does really make a difference for a molt.