Bumblefoot is a condition that can affect all domestic foul despite breed or age. It may be a scary sight. But fear not! For your fluffy gal (or roo) will get better in no time.

All vocab words will be bolded at the bottom of the article to better help readers understand!

Bumblefoot: What is it?​

  • A bacterial infection that causes necrotic lesions on the foot pad, or less commonly, on hocks and toes.
    • Can be superficial (not deep) to deep
  • Characterized by inflammation and ulcers
    • If not treated, ulcer formation, as a result of the condition, may lead to abscess formation and fibrosis, specifically on the hock joint.

Bumblefoot Common Causes:​

  • Ammonia in bedding
    • Wet/damp bedding increases ammonia production ( > 30% moisture)
    • Feces build-up increases ammonia
    • Create microenvironment pH 11.
      • Irritation leads to an open wound.
  • Captive birds
    • Constant walking on hard, rough, or sharp surfaces
      • Develop small wounds susceptible to infection
  • Bacterial infection in open wounds
    • Common strains:
      • Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, and Escherichia coli (E. coli), with S. aureus being the most common cause of the infection
    • Enters open wound
  • Heavy Breeds at risk of infection
    • Larger poultry breeds
      • Cochins, Brahmas, Orpingtons, Jersey Giants, etc.
      • More pressure on chickens' feet.

Identifying Bumblefoot:​

  • Swelling, elevated surface in the affected area
    • Creating a bulge or bump
  • Rough, red skin
  • (Severe) brown or black scab
    • Rough to the touch
Common poultry behavior if affected:
  • Limping
  • Lameness
    • Abnormal stance
    • Inability to properly use a limb
      • In bumblefoot, this is due to pain and abnormal skin tissue

Bumblefoot Prevention:​

  • Daily check up on poultry
    • Examination
      • Catch bumblefoot in its early stages
  • Dry bedding
    • Clean, no feces
      • Less ammonia emission
  • Shaved down wood/surfaces if non-free ranging birds
    • Prevent splinters which can lead to bumblefoot
  • Proper diet
    • Necessary nutrients to fight infection
Scoring system to assess severity:
Some scientists combine Scores 3 and 4.
Others separate the 4th score into 4 and 5.
I use 4 scores.

  • Score 1
    • Hyperkeratosis and hyperplasia strictly on the epidermis
    • Moderate hypertrophy of the plantar skin
    • No dark color, but elongated reticulate scales.
    • Erythema
  • Score 2
    • Severe hyperkeratosis
    • Superficial dermal congestion and edema
    • Pronounced hypertrophic and hyperkeratotic scales
    • Presence of ulceration
  • Score 3
    • Superficial lesions
    • Epithelial necrosis
    • Dark-colored necrosis of (elongated) reticulate scales
  • Score 4
    • Dermis abscess
    • Signs of hemorrhages
    • Destruction of the keratin and epidermal layer in the center of the lesion
    • Necrotic tissue exposed

What happens if Bumblefoot is not treated?​

  • Very rare for the infection to disappear
    • Proceeds through Scores over a period of a couple of weeks
  • The infection spreads to bones, joints, and tendons
    • Causes pain and death
    • The bird may have trouble walking and getting access to food or water
      • Shows weakness to flock
        • Other birds may pick on an injured bird

Is there a need for surgery?​

  • `Don't perform- instead clean and aid
    • The wound is only red and has a shiny patch. (Signs of score 1 or moderate score 2
    • Not a lot of swelling, no signs of foreign objects (such as a splinter), no abnormal coloring or growth.
      • Soak in warm Epsom salts to loosen the skin and reduce swelling
      • Apply a triple antibiotic ointment, place a non-stick sterile gauze, and wrap with Vetrap
      • Check wound every 24-48 hours to reapply ointment and assess the wound
        • Should draw the swelling to a head so that the abscess can rupture.
          • Once burst, clean the wound with Epsom salt, re-apply ointment, and re-wrap.
            • The bird is at most risk of a secondary infection!!! Keep as clean as possible!!
            • The wound should heal within 10-15 days.
  • Perform
    • Severe Score 2 or above
    • Dark brown or black scab
      • Some call this "the plug"
        • Extremely hard and rough at the touch
        • Necrotizing foot tissue underlying the abscess

Who performs the surgery?​

  • (Recommended) Surgery treated by a professional veterinarian that specializes in poultry or avian science
    • The procedure can take up to an hour
  • (Not recommended) you can perform the surgery
    • Increase the risk of secondary infection if not qualified professional
      • Injure bird- cut too deep into the wound
      • Careless supplies/procedure

Materials for surgery:​

  • Sterile scalpel and tweezers
    • Sterilize with a lighter
      • Ensure no bacteria
  • Warm water filled with Epsom salt
  • Towels
  • Disposable gloves
    • Do not contaminate bird
  • Vetrap
    • Wrap wound
  • Non-stick gauze pads
    • Aid in dressing wound
  • Chlorhexidine 2% solution
    • Or Iodine
      • Kills off bacteria
  • Triple antibiotic ointment
    • Prevent and treat skin infections

How to perform the surgery:​


*NOTE* poultry may not show it but this procedure is extremely painful
You CAN give pain-relief medicine such as Carprofen (no more than 1/2 a capsule) but CONSULT YOUR LOCAL VET FIRST

Procedure:
  • Soak with Epsom salts
    • Loosen/soften up the skin and get rid of dirt
    • Gently rub the infected area
  • Spray Chlorhexidine 2% solution
    • Kill any remaining bacteria
  • Wrap bird with a towel
    • Cover head and eyes to prevent flight response
    • Secure bird
  • Locate the heart of the abscess
    • Identify: dehydrated pus that has solidified
      • Healthy skin tissue: soft, pliable, and pink
  • Surgical Debridement (surgery portion)
    • Use a scalpel to cut around the circumference of the abscess straight down into the foot
    • Tweezers used to remove dead/infected tissue
    • Make sure to sterilize tweezers and scalpel
  • Re-soak foot
    • Cleanse
    • Ensure all infected tissue and foreign objects are removed
    • Throughout the procedure, you may have to re-soak the bird's foot in order to ensure the skin is loose/soft.
  • Bandaging
    • Chlorhexidine spray
    • Triple antibiotic ointment applied to wound
    • Non-stick gauze placed over the wound
      • Ensure antibiotics remain on foot
      • Creates pressure to stop bleeding
    • Gauze kept in place with vet wrap
  • Remove and re-applying bandage every 24-48 hours to assess wound and healing progress
    • If swelling, foul odor, or red streaks
      • Secondary infection- need antibiotic treatment
    • After 2 weeks- fully healed

Need some more info? Here are some links where I got some of my info from!
https://extension.msstate.edu/sites/default/files/publications/publications/p2769.pdf

https://www.scoopfromthecoop.com/bumblefoot-causes-treatment-and-prevention/#:~:text=Bumblefoot%2C%20or%20plantar%20pododermatitis%2C%20is,infected%20bird's%20reluctance%20to%20walk.

https://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-635X2016000300461

https://www.farmhealthonline.com/disease-management/poultry-diseases/footpad-dermatitis/#:~:text=Footpad dermatitis (FPD) is a,lesions can vary in size.&text=In chickens, the lesion can,can prevent birds walking normally.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6389698/

https://www.hobbyfarms.com/bumblefoot-chickens-roosters-tips/

https://the-chicken-chick.com/bumblefoot-causes-treatment-warning/


YouTube video on surgical procedure:

Vocabulary:​

  • ​

    Abscess
    • Pus that has filled up within the dermal layer of the skin
  • Ammonia
    • Colorless gas
    • Exposure to skin
      • Produce irritation
  • Dermal
    • The thickest part of the skin
    • Lays beneath the epidermis
  • Epidermis
    • The surface layer of the skin
      • Overlying the dermal layer
  • Epithelial
    • Structure within the epidermis
    • Type of tissue composing the skin
      • A thin, protective layer of cells
  • Erythema
    • Superficial reddening of the skin
  • Fibrosis
    • Fibrotic connective tissue replaces normal skin tissue in response to disease or injury
      • This leads to tissue remodeling and the formation of permanent scar tissue
  • Hemorrhages
    • Ruptured blood vessels
  • Hyperkeratosis
    • Keratinocytes undergoing apoptosis (programmed cell death) to produce keratin, resulting in a thickened layer of underdeveloped keratin
  • Hyperplasia
    • Increase in the number of cells
  • Hypertrophy
    • Increase cell size
  • Keratin
    • Fibrous, structural protein
    • Key structure making scales (especially on the scales of poultry feet)
  • Lesions
    • Tissue (in this case skin) that has suffered damage through injury or disease
  • Microenvironment
    • Small scale environment of an organism or part of an organism
  • Necrosis
    • Death of cells (and tissue) due to disease or injury
  • Necrotic tissue
    • Dead tissue
  • pH
    • The measure of how acidic or basic a substance is
    • The normal pH of chicken skin is between 5-6
      • A pH above or below this causes irritation
        • A pH above 9 may dry out the chickens' skin, causing further irritation
  • Ulceration
    • Break of skin; caused by surface cells dying
    • Form of a lesion

Science and treatment for bumblefoot


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