Help! Chicken lost a toe and a half

elmoflim

Songster
5 Years
Mar 12, 2015
322
256
177
Simpsonville
I've been spraying poultry aide on it and I gave her a bath.
She lost some blood, but it's been four days since I found her injured. Should I wrap it to help her balance? She's been using her wing to help keep her balance. Poor thing is also in heavy molt. I would appreciate all advice. I'm assuming she got it caught in wire or something ate it. I'm so confused about this thank you for any and all help.
2764.png


400


400


400


400


400
 
Wrap it. Definitely. Keep spraying poultry aid on it, and put some antibiotic cream on it to help keep out infection. Maybe you could figure something out to help give her some balance. Like modeling clay or something. Maybe look for a chicken prosthetic toe
wink.png
You could just take a popsicle stick and wrap that to the bottom of her toe. Cut to size, obviously.
Put her in a clean cage by herself until she is acting like she could go back outside. If she's outside, the biggest danger would be other chickens pecking it. She'll probably have trouble scratching from now on, but she'll be alive at least.
It looks like something just bit it clean off; maybe a dog or fox. Or maybe a rat chewed it off on the roost at night. Who knows, every predator loves chicken!
 
Wrap it. Definitely. Keep spraying poultry aid on it, and put some antibiotic cream on it to help keep out infection. Maybe you could figure something out to help give her some balance. Like modeling clay or something. Maybe look for a chicken prosthetic toe ;)  You could just take a popsicle stick and wrap that to the bottom of her toe. Cut to size, obviously.
Put her in a clean cage by herself until she is acting like she could go back outside. If she's outside, the biggest danger would be other chickens pecking it. She'll probably have trouble scratching from now on, but she'll be alive at least.
It looks like something just bit it clean off; maybe a dog or fox. Or maybe a rat chewed it off on the roost at night. Who knows, every predator loves chicken! 


So far not a lot of luck with the balancing besides her wing and my hand. She keeps getting poop and water all under her. I ordered a chicken diaper to help with the poop, but she's not moving much around with out my help. Hopefully in a few days she will be able to walk better. Maybe she just needs time to figure out how to walk with out her toe.
2639.png
400
 
It looks like it could be infected. Soak the foot in some epsom salts if you have them.

If the poultry aid you are applying is VetRx, it's o.k., but it is usually more suited for respiratory issues rather than wounds. If you have some Neosporin, Bacitracin (triple antibiotic ointment) that would be best. After you soak the foot, dry it well, then apply your ointment. Place her on clean dry bedding. You may need to repeat the soaking/applying at least everyday, to see if the swelling will go down and it will heal up.

If she is having a hard time moving around, you can try wrapping it, but I would wrap like you would for bumblefoot (links below) - leaving the toe exposed to air for healing. Wrapping may help give her some cushioning, but the toe looks very painful right now.

Make sure she is eating and drinking well. If you have them, poultry vitamins in her water would be good. Give her normal feed and some extra protein like egg, tuna, mackerel or meat.

Keep an eye on the wound, if it oozes, start to have an odor, redness, etc., then infection has set in and you would want to seek a vet's care.

Let us know how she is doing.

Illustration of wrapping technique toward bottom:
http://www.poultrydvm.com/featured-infographic/understanding-bumblefoot-care

Video of bumblefoot surgery with wrapping technique - wrapping starts around 7:44 mark.
 
I agree she could just be getting used to walking without her toe. As Wyorp Rock said, be very careful to watch for infection. Beyond that, i think everything has been covered!
smile.png

Hope she gets better!
hugs.gif
 
Thanks so much @PeepersMama @Wyorp Rock I've been using Dead Sea salt and epsom soaks each night and blow drying her after. I ordered a chicken diaper(because she's been getting a lot of poop under her from her laying position,) and some booties for chickens with bumblefoot does this look like it should help?
400

I'm hoping that will help her. Her right toe on her right foot is pretty much gone and her left foot her middle toe lost half of it. It looks a lot better in person though and she doesn't seem to mind me touching it anymore. Poor thing taps on it and lately seems to try to put pressure on it and leans over catching herself before tipping over.

She and the other hens are on the naturewise feather fixer feed for their molting session. Would that be ok for her to eat or should I let her eat some of the chick feed? I have some three month old silkies and Easter egger chicks so I have some of it in the shed.

Luckily no redness and no fever praying it stays that way. I think it's slowly healing and she's eating and drinking(yay.) The poultry aid I'm using is like an emergency wound spray it helped a lot with neosporin when one chick had a wing injury. Here is a picture of her standing on one foot with the occasional wing down to balance. I'll keep it updated and any more suggestions is appreciated
2764.png
2764.png
2764.png


400
 
Thanks so much @PeepersMama @Wyorp Rock I've been using Dead Sea salt and epsom soaks each night and blow drying her after. I ordered a chicken diaper(because she's been getting a lot of poop under her from her laying position,) and some booties for chickens with bumblefoot does this look like it should help?
I'm hoping that will help her. Her right toe on her right foot is pretty much gone and her left foot her middle toe lost half of it. It looks a lot better in person though and she doesn't seem to mind me touching it anymore. Poor thing taps on it and lately seems to try to put pressure on it and leans over catching herself before tipping over.

She and the other hens are on the naturewise feather fixer feed for their molting session. Would that be ok for her to eat or should I let her eat some of the chick feed? I have some three month old silkies and Easter egger chicks so I have some of it in the shed.

Luckily no redness and no fever praying it stays that way. I think it's slowly healing and she's eating and drinking(yay.) The poultry aid I'm using is like an emergency wound spray it helped a lot with neosporin when one chick had a wing injury. Here is a picture of her standing on one foot with the occasional wing down to balance. I'll keep it updated and any more suggestions is appreciated
2764.png
2764.png
2764.png


The Feather Fixer should be fine
smile.png


Looks like she is trying her best, she's a lovely hen.

It may take some time before she gets around really well, but chickens can adapt. The booties are a good idea, let us know if they help.

Keep us posted on her progress.
 
Make sure that if you do bring in another chicken, that they are lower on the pecking order than she is, or they will peck at the wound. You could put them in seperate cages right next to each other; then she would have company, but not be in any danger.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom