Bumblefoot and overmating

[HennyPenny44]

At least being broody means she is resting more and will hopefully give the bumble more time to heal. Just make sure she comes out and eats and drinks. If anything like my Muscovy I can take all eggs away and they will still brood once that hormone kicks in.

She's not very consistent. Only stays on in the morning when I open the duck house and gets off soon after to catch up with her friends.

 

[CoriM]

If that were my duck I would probably make sure I had an area where she could keep her feet dry after wrapping. I would start again with the big swelling on the middle toe, pull the scab, squeeze out whatever gunky stuff you can get, and pack with triple antibiotic ointment the first day, gauze pad and vet wrap. You don't need plastic, I've been through that and it isn't necessary. Just keep her out of the water so she keeps the foot dry. If you want to see pictures on how I wrap the foot I'm happy to send them. After 24 hours, re-bandage after you slather on the epsom salt poultice: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001OE3L8...amp=&crid=1Y9Y5CWUQWH5B&amp=&sprefix=epsom+sa. I would keep this up on and also use the poultice on the heel, but I wouldn't cut into that one right now - seems like the lighter brown scab might indicate healing. It just takes a long time. If after 4 or 5 days of keeping them wrapped with the poultice you feel like the swelling is going down, you could then stop wrapping and just scrub twice a day with colorless iodine and a toothbrush, keeping them out of the water for 30 minutes afterwards. These are just things that have worked for me and I've been dealing with similar ones to you currently on the middle toe. Just keep at it and make sure it's not getting worse. Antibiotics alone will not clear up the infection - it has to be drawn out of the foot - that's what the epsom salt poultice works on.

 

[CoriM]

She's not very consistent. Only stays on in the morning when I open the duck house and gets off soon after to catch up with her friends.

That's how my girl that's been sitting is as well - if all her friends are outside she just covers the eggs and gets up to play and forgets about them.

 

[HennyPenny44]

If that were my duck I would probably make sure I had an area where she could keep her feet dry after wrapping. I would start again with the big swelling on the middle toe, pull the scab, squeeze out whatever gunky stuff you can get, and pack with triple antibiotic ointment the first day, gauze pad and vet wrap. You don't need plastic, I've been through that and it isn't necessary. Just keep her out of the water so she keeps the foot dry. If you want to see pictures on how I wrap the foot I'm happy to send them. After 24 hours, re-bandage after you slather on the epsom salt poultice: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001OE3L8...amp=&crid=1Y9Y5CWUQWH5B&amp=&sprefix=epsom+sa. I would keep this up on and also use the poultice on the heel, but I wouldn't cut into that one right now - seems like the lighter brown scab might indicate healing. It just takes a long time. If after 4 or 5 days of keeping them wrapped with the poultice you feel like the swelling is going down, you could then stop wrapping and just scrub twice a day with colorless iodine and a toothbrush, keeping them out of the water for 30 minutes afterwards. These are just things that have worked for me and I've been dealing with similar ones to you currently on the middle toe. Just keep at it and make sure it's not getting worse. Antibiotics alone will not clear up the infection - it has to be drawn out of the foot - that's what the epsom salt poultice works on.

Thank you and I’m sorry I’m being long winded but it’s my first time with bumblefoot. I appreciate all the help. The heel bumbles aren't as worrisome to me but the middle toe one on Miss Limpy is. When I first removed the scab off this girl, there was no pus of any type. I had to make an incision to the side of the scab that was squishier than the rest of the swelling and squeeze out as much bloody pus as I could. I then used drawing salve which drew out the cheesy hard pus that was hidden from view, and used sugardine with my post surgery bandaging routine. I believe that’s swollen healthy pink tissue under that scab because that’s what was there post surgery and the swelling is about the same. I believe the surgery was painful to her, especially squeezing the pus out, so I don’t want to squeeze that area or cut into her again unnecessarily. Given that information, would you still remove that scab?

 

[CoriM]

No worries, I wouldn't cut into it, maybe just use your fingernail and pick off the tiny scab so there's a place that the poultice can work into. I strongly recommend the epsom salt poultice! I would keep it covered with that swabbed on for a majority of the day and then leave it off for swimming and what not a couple hours a day. If it's not getting better in a week I would revisit what's going on.

 

[HennyPenny44]

No worries, I wouldn't cut into it, maybe just use your fingernail and pick off the tiny scab so there's a place that the poultice can work into. I strongly recommend the epsom salt poultice! I would keep it covered with that swabbed on for a majority of the day and then leave it off for swimming and what not a couple hours a day. If it's not getting better in a week I would revisit what's going on.

I was doing the Epsom salt soaks but they kept pooping in them constantly so maybe the poultice is better. I didn’t do the antibiotic tonight. I’ll try your advice.

 

[CoriM]

Well you have to do what you think best on observing the situation. I will tell you though that the poultice is great because it stays on the foot the whole time it's bandaged. See this thread - it's how I first heard about it and have been using it ever since: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/found-bumblefoot-cure.1588589/

 

[HennyPenny44]

Well you have to do what you think best on observing the situation. I will tell you though that the poultice is great because it stays on the foot the whole time it's bandaged. See this thread - it's how I first heard about it and have been using it ever since: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/found-bumblefoot-cure.1588589/

Wow, that’s pretty amazing results! I tried drawing salve but I don’t know if I did it long enough or it just doesn’t work as well. At this point, I’m desperate fora solution soI’ll try it. Have to be super diligent about wrapping feet!

 

[CoriM]

I also had tried Prid before, which is a drawing solution, but never worked. Give this a try, and if the swelling goes down you could switch to just using the toothbrush and colorless iodine without bandages. Good luck!

 

[HennyPenny44]

I also had tried Prid before, which is a drawing solution, but never worked. Give this a try, and if the swelling goes down you could switch to just using the toothbrush and colorless iodine without bandages. Good luck!

I made my own Epsom salt poultice from Epsom salt and hot water and put it on her tonight with her bandage. She hates it and bites my hands as I wrap her foot, lol. But she’s limping again so it’s not an option.