Bumble Foot

[Russ Blair]

I thought we had a topic discussion on this but I didn’t pull up anything in the search bar. I am bringing this up because one of my Blue Cockerels seemed to get it (bumble foot) this winter. Seeing I only kept two to winter I went against my better judgement and tried doctoring him. I normally would cull any birds with it immediately, but at the time he was my best of two. So I separated him into a wire coop and tried keeping his foot clean and dry. Needless to say there was no improvement and it continued to swell and fester. Now here is the interesting part, I thought he would eventually die and he has lost a lot of weight. But now I noticed his whole foot except his back toe has fell off this weekend. I always associated bumblefoot with damp wet conditions but have never seen it in winter. More importantly I have never kept one this long to see the outcome. Has anybody else ever seen one lose there foot due to this condition? What’s everybody think about it being a genetic flaw, or would it be safe to assume it’s a physical or environmental issue? Granted the other Blue Cockerel has clearly became the better one now they are close to being finished so I will not use this one unless the other one is infertile or heaven forbid something tragic happens to the better one. I am more just curious what other breeders have noticed concerning this issue.

[Mike Gilbert]

Never heard of that happening from bumblefoot.   Are you sure he didn't step into the water and then get the foot frozen?

[Beth Curran]

I think Mike might be on to something. Bumble foot is a big problem here with all the hot weather and rain and I've never had one loose a foot. I'll tell you what I have lost part of one to - I've had them get horse hairs, strings from feed bags, shredded tarps, etc. wrapped around their foot and cut off the circulation - it's amazing how hard some of them are to see - and lose a toe or toes.

[Russ Blair]

It may have been frost bite from stepping in the water dish. I have never experienced it before and just assumed the swollen foot was bumble foot? I thought winter time was a weird time to get it. The only other couple times I had birds with it was during wet periods in spring. I always culled birds with it so I never knew the outcome from it.

[Tailfeathers]

Sounds to me more like Frostbite.  Which may have been enhanced by a lack of circulation resulting from Bumblefoot.  Bumblefoot is a bacterial staph infection and will create a "core".  If not removed it will continue to grow which results in the foot swelling.  I'll try to attach 4 pics.  Three show the foot from top and bottom and the fourth shows what came outta the foot when I opened it up to treat it.  You'll see it's large chunks of a hard, whitish pus that was all one piece before being taken out.  Anyone who's ever seen a boil squeezed knows what this is.  Here's an advanced warning that it may be too gross for some. 

[Suki]

Yes, i have had two black, female and male, that both lost their foot because of bumblefoot.  He later died, perhaps the staph infection was too much into his system.  She, Henny,  is alive and well and laying eggs (but she is never mated) and more importantly being a good brood mother  I'll have to take a shot of her.

[Russ Blair]

It was swelled up almost that big Royce, key word almost. It started off smaller and continued to enlarge, even had a "sore" at the bottom. So perhaps it was a combination of bumble foot cutting circulation down and frost bite? I wouldn't of thought frost bite would of caused the swelling typical of bumble foot. Royce I am curious if the chicken you lanced survived, and if so regain full use of the foot?

[Tailfeathers]

Unfortunately, I was just about done digging all the gunk out when I think she had a heart attack and croaked.  She let out a big squawk and then died.  It took me quite awhile to get all that out and she wasn't anesthetized or anything. 

That said I've operated on others that were almost, but not quite, as bad as that and they've healed up just fine.  It's best to catch it early though.  Before a core develops if possible but I've had to dig out some cores that were pretty deep but not too spread out. 

The key is after getting it cleaned out good, I fill the hole with an antiseptic balm that I have leftover from the goat hooves.  Then cover that with a gauze pad.  The I tear strips of vet wrap up so I can weave a solid cast over the foot and up the leg a bit.  That'll stay on for a good week or two.  Then I'll take it off and check to see how it's doing.  Repeat for another couple weeks if necessary.

[Suki]

My first bumblefoot did that too me.  It's very discouraging isn't it?  I don't know about the goat hoove oil you use but I use a variation of Vicks menthol-eucyalyptus rub and then wrap like you mention.  It's amazing how it works.

https://www.jrwatkins.com/products/Bath-and-Body/Pain-Relief/Petro-Carbo-First-Aid-Salve/

[Tailfeathers]

The antiseptic balm I use is called Nolvasan.

[Suki]

Thanks Royce.  Found it

https://valleyvet.cvpservice.com/product/view/basic/3690401

[Russ Blair]

Great information Royce thanks for sharing it with us.

[John W Blehm]

...So perhaps it was a combination of bumble foot cutting circulation down and frost bite? ...

I believe so.  I had it with this LF lavender cockerel.  Bumble foot in the fall and loss of toes over the winter.