What should we do for this chicken while we are gone?

[Shelly-P]

We have a chicken who had a terrible case of bumble foot. We have gotten her much, much better, but there is still a bit of a sore and we are still changing the dressing and putting stuff on it daily. The sore has a scab, but it seems to come off easily and bleed a wee bit every day. We are worried because it got so bad because it bled a little and all the chickens just pecked it like crazy. I think it would be totally gone in a week, but we have a problem.

In a couple of days, we are leaving town. We have someone who watches the animals, but tending to this chicken will be beyond her capabilities. It takes two of us to just do the redressing on the injury each day, not to mention catching this chicken. We could put her in a cage so she is easy to get, but I have absolutely zero confidence in this person's ability to do this job.

Does anyone have any suggestions for what we could do for this chicken to get her through a week without changing the dressing, etc?

Thank you.

 

[Birdsonghill]

Isolation and keeping that cage/area clean may be the best you can achieve, if the person who helps can be trusted to keep her area clean and her fed and watered separately. I am waiting with you for better ideas. Best wishes.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Discontinue further treatment for now and hopefully it will scab over decently before you leave. She'll be fine hobbling along with the scab in place. Make sure to remove any foot wrap/gauze etc. before you go. You can pick up treatment again when you return.

 

[Shelly-P]

Discontinue further treatment for now and hopefully it will scab over decently before you leave. She'll be fine hobbling along with the scab in place. Make sure to remove any foot wrap/gauze etc. before you go. You can pick up treatment again when you return.

Thank you. She pecked at it so badly before when it was at this stage that it was terrible. Is there anything I can do about that?

 

[Eggcessive]

Do you have any pictures of the footpad? What have you been putting on the foot with the dressing every day? Antibiotic ointment? Prid? Sugardine (Betadine and sugar made into a paste? I might be tempted to dress it well, and put a bit of duct tape to withstand the weather, and leave it till I got back. If it comes off before, tell the person who is watching them to just leave it off. If worse comes to worse, you could have the sitter to put her in a dog crate with food and water, within the coop or run.

 

[Shelly-P]

Do you have any pictures of the footpad? What have you been putting on the foot with the dressing every day? Antibiotic ointment? Prid? Sugardine (Betadine and sugar made into a paste? I might be tempted to dress it well, and put a bit of duct tape to withstand the weather, and leave it till I got back. If it comes off before, tell the person who is watching them to just leave it off. If worse comes to worse, you could have the sitter to put her in a dog crate with food and water, within the coop or run.

I don't have a photo, but what is left is on the top of her foot and is between two of her toes. We spray with vetericyn (sp?) and then put a pad with antibiotic ointment on it then use vet wrap.

 

[Eggcessive]

It would help to see what it looks like. I have had chickens with a bumble on top between the toes, and the others did not peck at it. Have you ever used BluKote spray, the purple wound spray that hides wounds. Or Alushield, the aluminum wound spray that also can hide wounds?
https://www.ruralking.com/ideal-alu...bHBUk9UOqXyYegBXTBwaArXcEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thank you. She pecked at it so badly before when it was at this stage that it was terrible. Is there anything I can do about that?

The Blukote mentioned by Eggcessive could possibly help hide the wound so the rest leave it alone (though frankly the blue coloring never deterred my flock).

If worse comes to worse, you could have the sitter to put her in a dog crate with food and water, within the coop or run.

^ Crating her inside the enclosure may be a easier way to manage it if it does not scab or the birds continue picking despite use of Blukote or other masking wound treatments.

 

[Shelly-P]

It would help to see what it looks like. I have had chickens with a bumble on top between the toes, and the others did not peck at it. Have you ever used BluKote spray, the purple wound spray that hides wounds. Or Alushield, the aluminum wound spray that also can hide wounds?
https://www.ruralking.com/ideal-alu...bHBUk9UOqXyYegBXTBwaArXcEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

I'l try to get a photo in the morning. Those are great ideas. I thik I'll look into the Alushield. Thank you!

 

[Shelly-P]

I forgot to take a photo before we put the blu kote on, but thank you to everyone. We are trying the blu kote today and keeping an eye on her. It is just getting better so slowly, but if you could have seen it a while ago, you would be amazed at the recovery. We thought we were going to lose this chicken over this injury. Now, it's mostly scab. Here's to hoping this works!