Protecting, preventing, and treating foot and leg injuries can save your flock from discomfort (or worse). Bumblefoot is one of the most common foot conditions in chickens. It's painful, and if not addressed quickly it can become fatal.
Bumblefoot is characterized by swelling, sometimes redness and often a characteristic black or brown scab on the bottom of the foot. Left untreated, serious cases of bumble foot can be fatal as the infection can spread to other tissues and bones.
If your chicken has a moderate or severe case of bumblefoot (stages 3-5; see above section if you missed it!), that means that the wound is now infected, swollen, painful and likely has an abscessed core. Moderate or severe cases are more complex and often require surgery to remove the abscess before healing can start.
A soft abscess filled with pus is typically the skin reacting to growing bumblefoot infection, whereas a hard abscess is an indication that there is something stuck underneath the skin which the body is trying to push out.
Unless the duck is able to fight off the infection, it often leads to a large, swollen, bulbous growth on the bottom of their foot. It is obviously painful and cumbersome for the bird. If you catch it early, you can often provide antibiotics and heal it.
Post-Care for Severe Bumblefoot
She may still need her foot bandaged just to prevent the scab over the wound from being damaged or re-opened. Remember to make sure the hen doesn't get picked on by the others as she rejoins the flock. You will no longer need to bandage the foot once the scab has completely healed.
If left untreated, bumblefoot can result in the loss of toes or the entire foot, and may even lead to the animal's death.
You are wrapping in a figure-8 pattern between the toes and above the back toe. Press the end of the Vet Wrap to seal it to the rest of the bandage. After applying the wrap, monitor the bird carefully for the next few hours for any signs of distress, swelling of the toes, or increased lameness.
Left untreated, serious cases of bumblefoot can be fatal as the infection can spread to other tissues and bones. After serious cases have healed, the foot or toes may be scarred for life have an abnormal appearance. Your chicken may never walk normally again.
Soak 1-2 times daily for about 10- 15 minutes at a time. For our latest case of bumblefoot, I soaked for five days. After soaking for a while, you can try to scrape off the scab and remove the kernel without aggressive intervention. Gently push around the kernel to try and get it out.
Can I get bumblefoot? While humans can't get bumblefoot per se, Staphylococcus aureus, which is the most common organism that causes bumblefoot, can infect humans—yet another good reason to handle your birds, sick or not, with care.
Bumblefoot is usually recognised by a black or brown scab, swelling and/or pus-filled abscesses. It is most often on the foot pad but can occur on the toes or on top of the foot. If you have a chicken displaying the symptoms of a foot injury, you will need to examine the foot for signs of bumblefoot.
Bacteria, including staphylococcus spp. have been identified in some rare cases of bumblefoot, if the wound has not been noticed and treated before it becomes acute. Typically antibiotics, such as erythromycin or penicillin, are prescribed by the vet, if the infection is serious enough.
Is bumblefoot contagious? “No, it's not contagious. Staph bacteria are present wherever you find poultry. However, a flock that frequently experiences bumblefoot is in need of management changes.”
To treat a minor infection, first soak the foot in warm water and Epsom salts for 20-30 minutes to soften the foot pad. Then merely spray the Microcyn on the foot, then wrap it in gauze and secure with vet wrap, repeating three times a day until the infection is gone.
There can be many reasons why your chicken may be lame. These can include Scaly Leg Mite infestation, worms, untrimmed nails, injury which can lead to Bumblefoot, or Mycoplasma Synoviae. Before consulting your vet, give your chicken a quick check to try and look for signs of any of the above causes.
Bumblefoot (ulcerative pododermatitis) is a common bacterial infection and inflammatory reaction that occurs on the feet of birds, rodents, and rabbits. It is caused by bacteria, namely species of Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, and Escherichia, with S. aureus being the most common cause of the infection.
Soak the foot in warm water and Epsom salts. When the scab has softened, remove it to expose the pus-filled cavity. Flush the cavity with hydrogen peroxide to clean out the pus and debris. Pack the cavity with antibiotic ointment, and then wrap the foot to keep the cavity clean.
If the perches are unclean, bacteria will build up and can move onto the foot as the foot has lost its protective scales. Any disease that affects birds can make your bird susceptible to “bumblefoot" as the bird will use its energy to fight the other problem.
The longer the mites reside under the chicken's leg scales, the more discomfort and damage they inflict; an unchecked infestation can result in pain, deformities, lameness and loss of toes. Scaly leg mites spread from bird to bird in a flock, therefore when one bird is infected, all should be treated.
This chicken foot problem is known as bumblefoot, from the old British word bumble, meaning to walk unsteadily. Today the abscess core is sometimes referred to as a bumble. Bumblefoot (left) appears as a single callus-like scabby lump in the pad at the bottom middle of the foot, and usually affects one foot.
If you spot a bird limping, it's important to check for signs of bumblefoot quickly and treat it immediately. Clean out the pus from the swelling, administer antibiotic spray to the wound regularly, and keep the wound clean and dry. Use an absorbent pad and cover with vet wrap as a bandage.