Some Findings Made In Regards To Bumble Foot

Margaret : Hi there, I wanted to share some findings that I have made in regards to bumble foot. I have a lovely leghorn hen, Matilda that developed a horrible case of bumble foot. These pictures have been taken about 3 weeks after I started doing this with her and changing out the tea bag a few times a week.

sweet dreams tea and chicken foot

It started with a knot on the bottom of her foot and then spread in between her toes with blister looking inflammation. Also on the outside of her foot, so she had 3 big bumps of it on this one foot. I have included pictures of her foot, but it is 3 times better than it was.

I had a friend use a chamomile tea poultice on me one time to heal an infection so with that in mind I used the tea bag that is shown in the pictures and put some holes in an old sock so I could put her toes through it and put the tea bag contents around the inflamed areas of her foot. The chamomile is very good for infection and so is the peppermint and spearmint. I just soaked the tea bag for a couple of minutes and put the whole teabag contents on her foot. I would change it every other day. I just used some older socks but I think baby socks may work better for size. To my relief, her imflammation began to subside. I wanted to share this in case someone else was having trouble with bumble foot.

foot much improved
Foot after an additional month

leghorn roosterI lost a hen who had bumble foot once so I’m very happy that my crazy idea has worked with this hen and thought I would share it.

I have included a picture of her mate who is just a proud leghorn rooster. He is just strutting his stuff.

Thanks,
Margaret
kelloggskluckers

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Do Not Feed Chickens + Possible Bumblefoot

Tom :  Following the recent bird flu restrictions, I have had my chickens in a covered but smaller than usual enclosure. I was away most of the last month and only got them out into the wider open enclosure this week. One of my chickens seems slightly disabled as she walks around the paddock.  As she’s also the broody one it’s hard to watch her for long as she takes every opportunity to hide in the nest box.  I thought she might have scale leg, but when I came to treat her it was her feet that seemed to be the problem.  Not ever having had a case of Bumblefoot I didn’t know what to look for so I picked up the other apparently healthy one (both are Buff Orpingtons).  The limping chicken had no reaction when I pressed the ball of her foot, but the other closed her claw.  Neither foot looks particularly sore, although the non-limping one’s foot is the more pink in colour.

All the chickens have really dirty feet which I am slowly washing with warm soapy water.  The clag on the feet looks a lot like a dried mixture of mud and manure.  They seem to be responding the gradual cleaning.
 
Have you any suggestions? My friendly neighbourhood chicken “expert” thinks the lame one should be put down as she’s stopped laying anyway, but he used to keep them as a small business for eggs.  Regards Tom
 
My Reply : After cleaning their feet it may be possible to see a black scab like mark which would be the core of the bumblefoot. In a comment on this recent post https://www.keepingchickensnewsletter.com/april17/hen-with-swollen-feet.htm where the hens foot was swollen Melina pointed out that a chicken could have an infection inside the foot where we might not be able to see the opening because it is pinsized.  Mild cases of bumblefoot can sometimes be resolved simply by cleaning the feet as you are doing.  On my blog here : http://successwithpoultry.blogspot.co.uk/2009/09/bumblefoot-chicken.html there is a treatment which can be applied each day for a few days (but just cleaning and wrapping the foot as shown in the video on that page can also work in mild cases). There is a story from a subscriber of her experiences with removing more serious bumble foot here https://www.keepingchickensnewsletter.com/September12/keepingchickensv2_pg05.htm If it isn’t bumblefoot then your hen may have damaged her foot/leg in some way (landing heavily or walking on something sharp etc) or it could even be something like gout or arthritis.
 
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Chick with Spraddle Leg

Sheila : Hi Gina! I’m having a difficult time trying to correct the spraddle leg. I have had it taped with the vet tape for a week. The pullet is 4 weeks old now. Sometimes she sleeps on her side. She is so tired from trying to walk. This picture is when she was about a week old. We tried the bandaids for a week and she kept taking them off. Any suggestions?

My Reply : There is a page of information about many different variations of chick leg issues and some treatments which might help here :
https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry
Vitamin b is mentioned on that page several times and so is probably worth a try in addition to anything else you might be doing (if you aren’t giving it already). If no poultry vitamin/nutrient supplement is available a little Marmite or Vegemite mixed in with some scrambled egg could be one way of giving her a little vitamin b boost.

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Hen with Swollen Feet

Gary : Okay, one of our hens has swollen FEET!!! it is not bumblefoot, as there is no sore (she has been well washed and searched)… BOTH feet are swollen and warm… I am on the net searching (bumblefoot is quite a popular answer), but since you are my default chicken help, I am asking you… thanks, Gary

My Reply : One thing I can think of that might make the feet look swollen is if the scales are starting to become raised, and if so that could be due to scaley leg mites. One common ‘at home’ method of treating scaly leg mites is to soak the legs and feet in warm water (and gently remove any loose debris around the scales), then soak the feet and legs in oil to smother the mites and finally wipe off excess oil and then apply a layer of vaseline – some people just apply a layer of vaseline without a pre-soak/smother. On this page http://www.bhwt.org.uk/information/external-parasites-on-chickens/ it is also mentions that Ivermectin® 1{b0ded004bdc346b73b2f7c5643ec4b44c0fd04baf547e743db44006f5c758b8f} spot on can be used. 
 Chickens can also get things like gout and arthritis so those may also be possibilities.

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Bandy Legged Chicken

walking with legs bent outwards

Sarah : My 7 month old Australorp chicken has become very badly bandy-legged. She can move but sits after a few steps, she is still laying beautiful eggs. I paid $65 for a visit to the Vet and she said that there is nothing wrong with her, very healthy chicken, with healthy clean feet???? Clearly there IS a problem, I’m reasonably sure she is not acting. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks and greetings from Cairns, Australia. Sarah Mills and Dixie

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Lumpy – A Chick With Fused Toes

Christina : I called this chick “Lumpy” because he seemed to pop out of the egg in a hurry, and his head was misshapen. I sexed the chicks three days later, and he was one of the males. Since he was the first out, he imprinted on me, and is easily recognizable as the biggest chick. Even at this young age, his tail seems to be erect and attitude very bold. I love to hold him while he snuggles under my chin as I sit at my computer. Lumpy had a small defect, in that two of his toes were fused, which is related to the gene which gives this breed feathers on their legs.

 

 

On the blog is a post from Christina showing her surgery to correct Lumpy’s fused toes :
http://successwithpoultry.blogspot.com/2011/06/maran-chick-fused-toes-surgery.html

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