# Hen with Bumblefoot AND losing weight



## Squirrelgirl88 (Jul 14, 2013)

I posted on BYC, but I always get better advice here.  We noticed our 1 year old Buckeye hen had bumblefoot about 7 days ago. The black plug was not that large, but her foot was very swollen and hard. We surgically removed the plug, and she has had 3 doses of penicillin (.25 cc each). She is eating and drinking, and is perfectly content to sit in her little hospital box in the barn. She is not using the foot or putting weight on it. 

I'm concerned at how much weight she seems to have lost. Buckeyes are a heavier breed, and she's much thinner than her flock mates. He poo is very runny green. 

She is eating Flock raiser right now because we have pullets in the barn. She is normally free range and has access to bugs, grass etc. all day long. 

What else should I be doing for her? Is there something I should be feeding her to help her heal and gain some weight back? 

These are NOT meat birds, they are pets. I'll do what ever it takes to see her recover.


----------



## Harbisgirl (Jul 16, 2013)

I'm sorry to hear about your hen   If you got the whole plug then you did good. Just keep an eye on the wound for infection but the antibiotics should take care of that. 

You mentioned that she free ranges and Im sure your guess is the same as mine- that she lost weight since her foot was hurt and she wasn't mobile enough to forage for food. You said that she is eating and drinking so that is very good but since you did give her antibiotics and her poo is green/runny, I would recommend giving her some probiotics. Antibiotics will kill both good and bad bacteria. I would give her some probiotics to replace the beneficial gut bacteria.

Good luck, let us know how she is doing 


----------



## Squirrelgirl88 (Jul 16, 2013)

Probiotics - got it. Just mix the probios in her water or with the feed? What about food supplementation? Any fruit, veggie, meat she should get special? I'd fix her a steak if it would help her. 

I also ordered the Tricide Neo powder to have for future problems. Our hens get up into the rafters and then drop down over 10 feet every morning. Deep litter on the floor only does so much when they look like a rock falling out of the sky.


----------



## meme (Aug 1, 2013)

Our turkey had bumble foot. It was huge and swollen, and he as well did not put any weight on it. We did a month of treatment, but he never got better. We removed the plug, and gave him antibiotics. We bought some Vetrician from tractor supply for him. It is very expinsive but it is an amazing product. We sprayed that on his foot every day as well. We found our selves using the Vetrician for other animals too, so you might want to purchse some of that. Unfortanitly he never got better. We ended up having to put him down after a month of treatment. I hope your chicken gets better. Try giving her some antibiotics in her water that might help a little bit. I hope she gets better.


----------



## Squirrelgirl88 (Aug 2, 2013)

Well, we've thrown everything at her I could think of. Epsom salt soaks, Tricide antibiotic soaks, more surgery, daily bandage changes with antibiotic, penicillin injections........I think we may be finally making progress. 

She hobbles around on her bandaged foot, it's so sad. She still wants to eat, drink and chase bugs. But the foot still looks terrible. The swelling is coming down, it's not as hot and hard as it was at first. She has been a great patient, very little complaining, and only bites once in awhile when she's had enough soaking.

I've also given her vitamins in the water, yogurt with probiotics, and her own little food and water supply away from the other hens. As long as she's fighting I'll keep it up. I'd still like to know what else to give her to put some of the weight back on.


----------

