#bumble foot

[missbiddle]

Here is a photo of me holding a chicken. Two things about this photo. 1. The chicken has a super cute bandage on its foot coz it has a condition known as "bumble foot". 2. My hands are fucking huge. That's all.

[moyrarussell]

A bumble-a-foot

Today was like any other day, starting early. Though as the small clucks and soft purr noises the hens would make drowned in her ears, having been squatting in the coop for about ten minutes, watching each hen, but one of yellow and gold had her full focus.

She was limping, shifting through the dirt and pecking but limping with discomfort. Green eyes narrowed half lidded as she studied the hens leg it favors currently, the small scale like flesh curving and bending, the foot looked swelled a bit, indicating therein lies the problem.” Bumblefoot.” Softly muttered as she watched on.

The hen showed no pain, no it was more of an agitation at best, knowing what this was from the moment the hen was spotted limping, Moyra knew off the bat. It's been seen many times in her life, a simple fix really, but the way to go about it was messy in itself.

Quickly gripping the hens back pinning her as she scooped quickly to make this process less stressful for the animal a sigh was given, turning she left the coop with hen in tow tucked like a ball under her arm, pausing for a moment as the winds picked up slightly she looked towards where the cliff side was, feeling the cold from it her gaze went to the clouds as they shifted.

Rain was coming, something well needed around the farm so it was a welcoming sight and feel to take in, after the hot mornings lately it felt good as the wind cooled her body. A small smile formed as she would take the hen to the mudroom, shifting slowly as she looked at the buckets, placing the hen in one at a time, she needed one for her to be placed in to soak.

Once she decided on a rounded bucket she would take it to the bathroom, the hen kept quiet and calm with the woman's soft touches, not wanting to stress the egg laying beauty. She would rub the water and wait till it was warm enough, she then kicked the cabinet open and took out some Epsom salt and added it to the bucket before filling it with the warm water.

Once full just enough to get the feet and legs wet she put it on the floor and sat on the toilet setting the hen in calmly, a small flutter was given but soon enough the hen relaxed, keeping her hand on her for a moment till the eyes closed. Taking advantage and keeping quiet she would stand and go through the medicine cabinet and take out a large metal box.

Setting it down she would go through it, taking out tweezers and some baking soda and medical paste for anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial. A small hum was made as she would mix the paste and baking soda on the counter, intending to clean it up after of course.

After about ten minutes it seemed to go by and she looked to the hen, who was calmed and soaking, she sat down and picked her up, turning the hen over and on her back avoiding the talons that kicked about. Gripping both legs with one hand she softly petted the hens head, giving it a small smile.

Seeing the black spots on the feet she took up the tweezers and began to pick around the feet flesh, lightly plucking away the loose bits before she leaned in and began to slowly move to get the hardened bits to budge, seeing it wiggle she took hold and eased it back and forth slowly taking the bits out, it didn't have a bad smell thankfully. No infections have started.

Once the hole was opened she would clean it out, bit by bit taking the time to assure every chuck was out. Then to the next, thanks to the Epson soak it made things easier, the flesh more playable to wiggle the blackened bits away. Once both holes were cleaned she would take a finger and stuff the paste mixture within, filling it so no debris could enter to heal.

She didn't end there, her legs hugged the hen as she shifted and went through the box again, taking up the vet tape and tearing it sideways to make two strips of thin wrap, slowly taking the time to wrap and weave around the toes and ankle of the hen. Once satisfied she set her down and began to clean up. The hen walked around and pecked at the floor scratching a bit in hopes of finding something.

She would empty the bucket into the bathtub and wash both things out, then set the bucket down and tuck under the sink with her foot, taking up toilet paper. She wiped the paste mixture and flushed it. Taking up the hen now who protested she would soon return to the coop.

[caseyfields]

Penguin laughing at Cincinnati Zoo