Bumble foot and/or something worse?

[Obiwan Henobi]

I have a 2 year-old hen who has developed a limp and reluctance to walk. She has reduced appetite, stopped laying, and is producing green, runny poops. This has persisted for a little more than a week. She has no other symptoms (no nasal, eye, mouth discharges/no sneezing, coughing). She does appear to have a spot on the bottom of the same foot that she is reluctant to use, but I'm not sure it is bumble foot (see attached pix). The rest of the flock seems to be just fine. Even if she does have bumble foot, how could that explain the other symptoms? I have isolated her from the rest of the flock with clean litter and access to food and a water/aspirin solution. I don't have access (or the budget) for an aviary veterinarian. Any ideas suggestions?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The black spot in the middle of the picture does appear to be bumblefoot.
It starts as a scratch or other injury to the foot pad, bacteria enters resulting in a staph infection. Old school remedy is to open it up and squeeze out the puss nodule but newer techniques involve no open wounds. Daily or more frequent warm Epsom salt soaks are a start.
I discovered two additional methods of treatment. One, recommended in the Chicken Health Handbook is to inject the wound with a combiotic. That is a blend of two different antibiotic families. I couldn't find what I needed but did find one that was two forms of penicillin so I used that.
The other method is one used to treat bumble in raptors by the University of Kentucky. They use a CEH ointment. It seems to draw out the poison. It is a blend of Calendula, Echinacea and Hypericum (St. John's Wort). The only source I found was in Europe so I made my own getting each ingredient from a herbal supplier in town here called Cheryl's Herbs.
At the time I had several chickens afflicted. (I later found out why)
I was able to cure all but one. Each time I applied the ointment I would then wrap with gauze and cover with vet wrap. That required keeping the birds in on clean bedding.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have a 2 year-old hen who has developed a limp and reluctance to walk. She has reduced appetite, stopped laying, and is producing green, runny poops. This has persisted for a little more than a week. She has no other symptoms (no nasal, eye, mouth discharges/no sneezing, coughing). She does appear to have a spot on the bottom of the same foot that she is reluctant to use, but I'm not sure it is bumble foot (see attached pix). The rest of the flock seems to be just fine. Even if she does have bumble foot, how could that explain the other symptoms? I have isolated her from the rest of the flock with clean litter and access to food and a water/aspirin solution. I don't have access (or the budget) for an aviary veterinarian. Any ideas suggestions?

Can we see the front of her feet/legs? Does she have scaly leg mites too?

Looks like a hardened poop ball stuck in the crevice of the foot.

I'd soak the foot in a warm epsom salts bath to see if that will help loosen it up a bit, then begin the see if I could push/pry it out.

Look at all the photos in this thread - while the balls are a bit different, still very similar - yours is just hardened in there more.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...acted-pockets-in-chickens-toe-webbing.950954/

 

[Crazy Maizie]

What breed of chicken is she?

You can soak her foot in plain warm water. I added iodine to the water. I soaked, added drawing salve, wrapped the foot. They sell vet wrap and gauze at the dollar general these days. Leave it on for 3 days and check. Repeat the process. Non-invasive is less traumatic. Wrapping helps to loosen the bumblefoot core. You can use antibiotic cream on the foot as well. Most of what I used, I already had on hand.
If it is bumblefoot, it's a staph infection. So depending on how it has spread, it could affect her health.

But, if she's not eating properly that could also be the reason her stool is not optimal. Is she eating better now that she's isolated?

 

[Obiwan Henobi]

Can we see the front of her feet/legs? Does she have scaly leg mites too?

Looks like a hardened poop ball stuck in the crevice of the foot.

I'd soak the foot in a warm epsom salts bath to see if that will help loosen it up a bit, then begin the see if I could push/pry it out.
View attachment 3856995
Look at all the photos in this thread - while the balls are a bit different, still very similar - yours is just hardened in there more.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...acted-pockets-in-chickens-toe-webbing.950954/

 

[Obiwan Henobi]

Thanks for the info and the links. It does look similar to the pix that are linked. I hadn't thought about scaley mites. Here are pictures of the front of her feet--they look normal to me.

 

[Obiwan Henobi]

What breed of chicken is she?

You can soak her foot in plain warm water. I added iodine to the water. I soaked, added drawing salve, wrapped the foot. They sell vet wrap and gauze at the dollar general these days. Leave it on for 3 days and check. Repeat the process. Non-invasive is less traumatic. Wrapping helps to loosen the bumblefoot core. You can use antibiotic cream on the foot as well. Most of what I used, I already had on hand.
If it is bumblefoot, it's a staph infection. So depending on how it has spread, it could affect her health.

But, if she's not eating properly that could also be the reason her stool is not optimal. Is she eating better now that she's isolated?

 

[Obiwan Henobi]

Fern is an Easter Egger. Thanks for the info. I'll try soaking the foot with Epsom salts and go from there. Her appetite seemed to decline since she has been isolated.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Thanks for the info and the links. It does look similar to the pix that are linked. I hadn't thought about scaley mites. Here are pictures of the front of her feet--they look normal to me.

It doesn't look like she has scaley leg mites.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Fern is an Easter Egger. Thanks for the info. I'll try soaking the foot with Epsom salts and go from there. Her appetite seemed to decline since she has been isolated.

When she was with the flock, could she still manage to get to food/water?
Was she picked on?

Often when isolating, they can become depressed. If you can house her within the coop/run so she's with her flock that may help her perk up a bit.

Does she lay eggs?

They use a CEH ointment. It seems to draw out the poison. It is a blend of Calendula, Echinacea and Hypericum (St. John's Wort). The only source I found was in Europe so I made my own getting each ingredient from a herbal supplier in town here called Cheryl's Herbs.

I wish I knew more about some natural remedies/herbs, etc.
This year I planted a few Calendula seeds; I saw tiny leaves poking out of the soil yesterday. I hope they will grow. Not that I might use them, I like flowers...but still.
And I think I have some St. Johns Wort somewhere here on my property...