growing bump on side of toe? What to do?

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dftkarin

dftkarin

Songster
11 Years
Jun 27, 2008
332
1
141




My 1 year old hen started growing this little lump on the side of one toe two days ago and I've been watching her walk and it has grown in size. It isn't making her limp and when I catch her and touch her toe, she doesn't seem to flinch as though it is painful. The lump itself is very hard, white, no warm (as though it is infection - but perhaps it still is infected?). I am going to try to soak it in salt water if she'll allow it. Should I worry? What should I do?
 
I am rather new to chicken "illnesses", but it looks like she may have bumblefoot. It looks like the lump has a black "seed" on the lower left side in the middle photo. One of my hens just had a big bumble. I soaked it in Epsom salt for about 5 minutes (she wasn't too keen on sitting there) then I pulled the black scab off. There was nothing behind her scab, so I think I caught it early but there are many threads on here about how to remove the scab, then basically dig around and get out all the "cheese" in it. After you do that, I would soak again in epsom salt to get everything cleaned up then put neosporin (without pain killer) all around and in it, then wrap it with a piece of guaze and some Vetwrap until it begins to heal up.

this is a WONDERFUL thread about bumblefoot, how to treat and wrap it up > https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/236649/bumblefoot-surgery-with-pics-and-how-to

Good luck and let us know how it turns out!
 
Thank you for your reply. I have read a lot about bumblefoot and I thought maybe this didn't fit the description because the bottom of her foot is not involved at all - and the lump is further along her toe - not right at the spot where her toes meet (most of the pictures seem to be where the toes meet - or in the notch between toes). I'll continue to soak her foot and see if I get more replies before I consider taking a scalpel to the bump. She is very hard to catch - so tending to this will be really hard - I'm not even confident I'll be able to catch her three times a day at all. It has taken me three days to be able to catch her just to take a closer look and take these pictures.
 


I took one more picture from the bottom and I guess it does involve the bottom too - I don't have a helper or any supplies right now - so after the soak I'm going to let her back out in the yard - do you think it could clear up on its own? Am I going to absolutely have to cut into her foot to clear it up? It terrifies me!! What can I do for the pain? This bird sleeps in a high up branch of a tree, not the coop - so I don't know how I'll get her!
 
dftkarin said:


I took one more picture from the bottom and I guess it does involve the bottom too - I don't have a helper or any supplies right now - so after the soak I'm going to let her back out in the yard - do you think it could clear up on its own? Am I going to absolutely have to cut into her foot to clear it up? It terrifies me!! What can I do for the pain? This bird sleeps in a high up branch of a tree, not the coop - so I don't know how I'll get her!
Click to expand...
Sorry about the delay, I have been searching for pictures of bumblefoot to see where most of the "bumbles" are situated. Most of them are on the pad of the foot, but I have seen a couple that are in the toes but close to the foot. Again, I am not an expert by any means, so you may want to wait until someone more versed in chicken injuries comes along because i don't want to tell you the wrong thing
smile.png
My chickens are somewhat easy to handle, but the one hen I had to catch usually pecks me when I pick her up. I just wrapped her up in a towel and sat down in the yard to get a good look at her foot. She just calmly laid there because I had her head covered and she was wrapped in the towel - not tight, just gently wrapped.

I have read quite a bit of people who don't have any help or are too squeamish to cut on the foot. Most of them suggested using Tricide-Neo, it is an antibiotic for fish but is supposed to help draw the infection out.

I have horses and we use something called ichthammol. It is a drawing salve that we use when horses get abscesses or things stuck in them. It works wonders, but it is messy and smells horrible. I am not sure if it is safe for chickens though.

I am going to keep searching for some other cures for bumblefoot other than surgery and see what I can come up with
smile.png
 
Ok I found a couple helpful things for you to look at.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/554991/antibiotics-for-bumblefoot#post_7139022 this is the link with options other than cutting the foot. this is the same fish antibiotic I mentioned

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2011/07/bumblefoot-causes-treatment-warning.html this is just a very informative link on the surgery if you decide to do it. also, that website has some AWESOME resources for everything chicken!

I am still wondering if it is technically bumblefoot because of the scab not being in the pad of the foot, but maybe someone with more experience can chime in.
 
Looks like she cut her toe, its got infected, she fought the infection but the pus is still in there and its healing over now. Hence, it does not have an active infection. Kind of like when you get a cyst.
 

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