[afewgoodchickens]

My moran has a black scab on the bottom of her foot, took her to the vets a few weeks ago and got antibiotics - it seemed to go a lighter shade, but, not much else - she is a chicken that gets stressed when handled any ideas?  As a last resort the vet will operate on her, but has no idea what it can be and that means maybe months of her being kept on her own on dry flooring - miserable :blink:

[Aunt Sally]

It's bumble foot and can be quite difficult to cure and may take quite a while. 

The puss should be removed from below the scab and she needs another trip to the vet for more antibiotics.

[Foghorn-Leghorn]

Several of my chickens have bumblefoot and as Aunt Sally said - it does need antibiotics to get rid of the infection.  You will also have to keep her on a dry clean soft surface until the scab totally heals as if you put her back outside with a scab or wound on her foot there is a good chance you will be back to square one.

It does take a long time to get their feet to heal - I'm into about week 3 now but I can see improvements and the infection has gone (fingers crossed, touch wood, etc) and the scabs are slowing getting smaller.

If you can dress her foot to keep it clean it may help her heal quicker.

Good luck but please don't leave it untreated as it is fatal to birds if ignored.

[afewgoodchickens]

Hi

When Carol went to the vets the vet did give the scab area a really good poke - so much so that my eyes were watering and it was dry as a bone, she said it definitely was not bumblefoot which was my first thought when looking through articles on the internet - at present just about every night when she goes to bed I am putting some oil\tea tree on cotton wool and putting on the bottom of her foot once she has gone to perch each night so that I know the foot is dry, but, am at a status quo.  It looks no worse, but, do not want a chicken that has pain in her foot - I did think maybe she may have got a bit of blackthorn in her foot but can see nothing - any other thoughts would be welcome

[afewgoodchickens]

Looks like Bumblefoot - sending the vet the link on this site to show how one member has treated the problem which I think was very well done (although I am just pathetic to try) - hopefully Carol will be cured and not have to go on antibiotics as she gets so stressed when handled (who thinks chickens have a small brain, she remembers her hectic start in her first home over 4 years ago! )

[bantam novice]

Good Luck and keep us posted 

[henamoured]

When I had to administer antibiotics to just one hen I squirted the .4ml required from the syringe the vet provided onto her favourite treat, porridge then put more porridge on top with a bit of sliced garlic to disguise the flavour. I just gave her a bit of porridge first thing and at night in a margarine tub which I put in the coop's run after letting all the others into the main run.
I found that if I gave the others a bit of porridge too just the other side of the wire it encouraged my poorly hen to eat when she saw the others tucking in.
Did you see the little orange 'booties' Foghorn-Leghorn had made for his bumblefoot stricken hen and posted a pic of recently in chicken chat (10/10/10)?
Hope this might be helpful and your chx recovers fast.

[Foghorn-Leghorn]

The booties are really easy to make if you are interested in keeping your hen's foot clean and it's great for administering antiseptic ointment if you use a gauze pad over the scab/bumble.

You just need a role of vetwrap (can be bought from tack shop) and some gauze.  Cut a length of vetwrap from the roll (approx 5" long) and then cut that long ways into small strips about 1/2" wide. 

If you lay your hen on her side it's easier to treat her foot.  I get someone to hold her gently and then I blob some antiseptic ointment on the scab, massage in.  Put a small piece of gauze over the scab and then wrap a piece of vetwrap to secure.  To do this you need to hold one end of the tape on the hen's "ankle" with one hand and with the other hand, bring the tape down between a toe and over the gauze across the foot and through another toe back up to the ankle, continue doing the same, alternating which toes you go between until the wrap is used (a bit like a figure of eight pattern).  Use two pieces if required.  This does get easier the more practice you get at it I promise.

P.S.  I'm a girl ;-) (I know Foghorn-Leghorn is somewhat of a misleading name - blame the other half who set my profile up initially!)

[henamoured]

So sorry F-L - don't know why I assumed masculinity - maybe a foghorn sounds more male than female!!

[Foghorn-Leghorn]

Lol, it's okay.  Foghorn Leghorn was a boy on the cartoons so it's more than a fair assumption!

[afewgoodchickens]

The other day I found a really good post by someone where she had shown what she did with a chicken with bumble foot - with photos - just cannot see for looking, does anyone know the link I mean?  Thanks  (off to vets tomorrow!)

[henamoured]

Good luck with the vet.
I'm currently giving antibi's to my hen who's been really down (and limping) with a moult. This time I've been putting the antibi on little pieces of dry bread which has proved much easier - a few seconds and it's gone. She doesn't seem to mind the Baytril smell/taste even though even I can smell it's horrible... why don't thery make medicines taste nice or at least neutral