I just have to share this. Maybe we are onto something.

We have now officially cured bumblefoot twice, without the major surgery, without antibiotics. We have used tea tree oil. For those not familiar with it, a quick web search will yield tons of info and you will find it is touted as a cure for just about everything, including very difficult to cure nail fungus. We've used it for ourselves for quite a while for various things, just experimenting. In the U.S., it is even available at Wal-Mart now. I know it is popular in Australia. Not sure about other places.

So here is what we have done: (takes two people)
Grab the chicken with the swollen foot and turn it upside down. Clean the foot thoroughly with either alcohol, or a betadine scrub. Take a *freshly cleaned* knife and pick off the scab. Get as much as you can off of there. Drizzle the tea tree oil in the spot. Keep the bird on clean litter. Repeat the process (may not have a scab to pick off the second time) in about 3 days. The limp has disappeared and everything seems healed within a week to 10 days. Amazing!

We had a bird with bumblefoot years ago and tried our best to clean the foot, pack it with antibiotic cream, keep the bird separated and on clean litter and all that, but to no avail. We had a bird with a permanent limp. Gotta admit we are too "chicken" to do the surgery I see described sometimes. This tea tree oil thing we are doing now is bloodless and easy! I don't konw if we are just lucky or really onto something great, but I would suggest trying it before you get out a scalpel! I would be curious to know if anybody tries it and what results they get.

Susie

Susie, Well, it is claimed to be for, but does not cure nail fungus. It is great for minor scrapes. I like the smell. My cousin from Australia (Ti Tree is the plant, but commercially it is usually labeled Tea Tree oil) brought me the first I had seen, when she came to visit years ago. Most of our oil comes from Australia. It is not the plant that produces our Tea leaves--to drink! You can buy a chunk of the root in Hawaii (and sometimes at Florists here), which roots in water and makes a great long lived house plant.

It can be used for Scaleyleg mites, but is more expensive than Campho-phenique. It has the same oily property, thin and penetrating. It can be mildly caustic, if covered with a bandage. CJR

Hi CJR,

So you have tried it for nail fungus and didn't get a good result? I haven't ever had that so haven't tried it but we have tried it for another type of fungal infection (just a patch on the skin) and it worked for that. I also was thinking it might do the trick for the leg mites but so far -- knock on wood -- haven't had that issue with my flock. It is interesting stuff, that's for sure!

Susie

Camphophenique? I think I'll try it. Thank you both for the information.

Hi Susie,
I am just wondering what the tea tree oil concentration was you used? I have a bottle at home and it is 15%V/V and I know they come in different strengths. Did you notice any adverse effects after using the oil, as when I told my vet I was going to try this, she was totally against it. Thanks
Vic

Vic,

I looked on my bottle and all it says is "100% pure Australian Oil". Beyond that, I am clueless.

We noticed no adverse effects. For about a day after we picked open the scab and put in the oil, we would notice more of a limp, then a steady improvement. We re-treated about 2 or 3 days later and went through the same (worse limp, from soreness of us messing with it I assume) and then improvement. The first one we treated a few months ago and he has been fine ever since. The second one was just a few days before I posted this original message and she is perfect now.

Wonder what your vet has against trying it. Did he give you any specifics? I don't have any vets here that will treat poultry.

Susie

It can be that it is considered "alternative medicine". Doctors and Veterinarians do not want any responsibility beyond their training, even if you know them well--they must be cautious.

But experience, with no bad effects, has shown that Poultry respond well to some "alternatives" (by Vet's training). And that is one thing we can share--but must use good judgement in trying ourselves. Some Old Wives treatments, I would never use--others I do, and they are effective with no side effects! CJR

I agree, CJR. Maybe it's just because he has never heard of it. Which I wouldn't doubt because I'm pretty sure I made this one up! LOL! Having no vet here, I figure I am better off messing with bumblefoot in the most minimal way I can. I doubt the vet would condone me cutting a bird's foot open with a razor blade as is described as the most common way to treat and cure bumblefoot. I was too afraid to do it so experimented on my own, figuring my bird would be no worse off than he was.

At any rate, I don't condone that anybody go against their vet's advice. If you are lucky enough to have a vet that knows how to treat poultry, go with it!

Susie