# Rue rue the rooster



## friendslora (Jul 13, 2017)

Our old rooster started limping and kept getting worse so my husband caught him and he had large black mass on his foot so we soaked it in Epsom salts and tried to remove the growth when my husband pulled on it most of the meat around his foot came off real deep and you could see the bone we put ointment that we bought at farm supply on it and wrapped gauze and band aid tape on it. Put him in cage and fed and watered him, we went to change bandage and reapply ointment so we soaked it in Epsom salts and tried to remove the gauze and it looks horrible and the bone is still showing and its started bleeding somewhat.. I can't stand it any more I can look in his eye and see him wanting us to make it better.. Please someone tell us what to do?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

That sounds like bumble. His foot needs to be packed with antibiotic ointment and then bandaged. Using the ointment will keep the bandage from sticking and will aid in healing.

Healing of a bad case of bumble is a long slow process.


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## friendslora (Jul 13, 2017)

thanks for letting us know


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

You can give him a baby aspirin twice a day for pain and inflammation.Really load the wound with antibiotic ointment.A little bleeding is good,it shows there is still good tissue there.Maybe you could increase protein to facilitate new tissue growth.Dry dog food in small kibbles, like Sportsmix Orange, or cat food.Chickens love it and it's extra protein.Good luck!!!!


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## friendslora (Jul 13, 2017)

Appreciate your advice


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Are you sure it's bone and not a hard kernel that needs to be popped out? Did you get a kernel out?


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## friendslora (Jul 13, 2017)

It looks like his leg bone. Not quite sure what you mean by kernel? There is some yellow chunks that comes off with the bandage. Im just so worried that I am being selfish by prolonging his suffering by doctring him..


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

With patience and care bumble is fully recoverable. 

I suspect you did not get all of the infection out since you're describing yellow chunks. Some will use a water pic on the lowest setting to irrigate the wound. Most use a large syringe without a needle to flush it with saline. If you don't remove all infection it will not heal or it will look healed and flair up again due to remaining pus. 

You can use a 50/50 peroxide/water mix to soak his foot in. 

Pics are very helpful in giving information on how best to treat him so if you can post a few closeups we can help a bit more.

If/when you get all of the infection out and healing begins his foot will do what we call granulation, slowly rebuilding new tissue to fill in the hole. But it's important that the ointment and bandages are continued until he's well on his way to healing.


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## friendslora (Jul 13, 2017)

Appreciate your advice and I will post pics when we change the bandage this evening.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

It's also best to let the wound heal inside to outside.If it's still deep,don't let the skin close over it,it will keep the infection in and you won't be able to see how it's healing or if it's getting worse.Pick the yellow pieces out and if you can't find syringes,a bulb syringe will do to flush it.When removing old bandages,some gunk will come off with it and that's good,it should leave the new tissue growth alone.Good luck!!!!


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## friendslora (Jul 13, 2017)

robin416 said:


> With patience and care bumble is fully recoverable.
> 
> I suspect you did not get all of the infection out since you're describing yellow chunks. Some will use a water pic on the lowest setting to irrigate the wound. Most use a large syringe without a needle to flush it with saline. If you don't remove all infection it will not heal or it will look healed and flair up again due to remaining pus.
> 
> ...


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## friendslora (Jul 13, 2017)

This is Rue Rue leg


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## friendslora (Jul 13, 2017)

Looks horrible but look better than it was


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

OK, I can guarantee you that we all thought you were talking about the bottom of his foot. If that's bumble it's pretty unusual for it to be there. It's possible it was an injury that festered and you could very well be seeing bone.

Did you check the bottom of his foot too? 

It might be the camera angle but that portion towards his toes looks suspicious. It should be flatter, not have those two raised areas. 

Continue to keep the ointment on it and it covered, if you can avoid systemic infection he should do fine.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

That looks like scaly leg mites, a very bad case of scaly leg mites. They will eat tissue right to the bone.
I highly recommend that you purchase NuStock and slather it on his leg. If there are raised scales on his other leg, slather it on that leg as well. Wear disposable gloves when applying NuStock. It should be in the horse section at your feed store. Continue to apply NuStock until scales are flat and smooth, infected area healed. This might be a long healing process but have patience, the NuStock will smother and kill scaly leg mites and heal at the same time.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Here are pics of typical bumblefoot. I've dealt with it many times.


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## friendslora (Jul 13, 2017)

Okay as soon as we go to town I will get some. Thanks


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

dawg, I've never seen scaly leg mites that show that kind of damage without all of the scales on the toes, feet and leg standing straight up. She also has described what sounded like abscess removal.


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## friendslora (Jul 13, 2017)

Got some bag balm??


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

I would say the root cause is scaly leg mites and infection set in. NuStock will treat it and should eventually heal.
Check these pics out:


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## friendslora (Jul 13, 2017)

dawg53 said:


> I would say the root cause is scaly leg mites and infection set in. NuStock will treat it and should eventually heal.


Okay appreciate your advice and help


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

One of my roos had multiple bumbles, and pox that covered him and made him sick. But I would solve one bumble and another would pop up. I eventually had to put him down because he was in too much pain to have his feet cut open every few days. I believe the cause was a poor immune system.

With the bumbles, I think they can wait until you get healing started on the leg. Regardless of what caused it, I think your roo should maybe be on antibiotics. I would be soaking the leg 2x a day in warm Epsom salt water, dry, then slather antibiotic ointment on them and wrap with some breathable gauze. The vaseline like ointment should smother any lice there. And put him on vitamins but not with the antibiotics.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

friendslora said:


> Okay appreciate your advice and help


Please post a pic of his other leg when you get the chance. Thanks.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Nustock should be pretty good since it uses sulfur as a surface antibiotic.


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## friendslora (Jul 13, 2017)

First I would like to say how much I appreciate everyone that posted. Rue Rue was the first rooster on our farm.. He will be missed and as tears run down my face I am not the only grieving one.. The guineas has screamed out every evening since he didn't show up to roost. I know that he now resides in a most awesome chicken pen in the sky..


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

So sorry that you've lost him. Yes, Guineas really recognize one of their own is missing and grieve just as the humans do.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Sorry you lost him.


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## friendslora (Jul 13, 2017)

Appreciate everyone and feel proud that I had good people in all of this.. Surely will keep up with site.. Good chicken people are a rare kind of folks!!


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