Bumble Foot

[rpcrowe]

We sincerely believe that we have the responsibility to care for all of our animals, not just our dogs.

Chiquita is one of our seven hens (yes, we named them) and had developed a problem called "bumble-foot". This condition manifests itself with increased redness, sores, inflammation and infection and makes it painful for the bird to walk or stand.

On the advice of our vet. we are treating it by soaking every three days in an Epsom salts solution and by administering antibiotics and an anti inflammatory medication. Also on the vet's advice, we are using a dressing made from a one inch segment of a foam pool noodle float. The hole in the center of the float takes pressure off the inflamed foot.



Shot with my wife's cell phone...

Also on the advice of the vet, we have segregated her from the other chickens. She is living in a dog pen in our dog room and seems quite happy with the attention she is getting...

It takes two of us to apply the dressing and the hen sure walks funny wearing it - BUT, IT IS WORKING. Her foot is healing quite well...

[Manfred M]

My first thought is that the hen put her foot right through a couple of mushrooms and they got stuck on her feet. My second though was that you fitted her with snowshoes, but that seems unlikely given where you live...

[purplehaze]

That's a hilarious look for your hen, Richard. Good on you for taking such good care of her.

[rpcrowe]

Janis and Manfred,

It is even more hilarious to see her walking in her "new shoes"... What makes it even more enjoyable is that the foot is improving drastically...