Frostbite on baby chicks?

[Eggcessive]

I doubt that antibiotics are needed for the red tips of the toes. There doesn’t appear to be infection. It may just be a symptom of the frostbite. In the picture in this link—frostbitten toes, you will see the pink swollen area above the frostbite that is very common:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/frostbit-in-backyard-chickens-causes/

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

This is chick 2s foot. The red at the end of his long toe is worrying me. His toenail is loose I think. I’m not sure. The area doesn’t feel hot or hard. Should I start him on antibiotics anyway?View attachment 2989318View attachment 2989319

The part of your chick's toe that looks pinkish-red is because scales have come off just above the toenail. If you notice, the skin is not only pinkish-red, but also smooth. Scales are shed and grow back when a bird molts. Since your chicks will have juvenile molts, the scales should start to regrow soon after the toenail falls off.

 

[Smileybans]

Thank you both. I‘m so worried about him getting an infection because his toe nails have been falling off. His father had that happen and he had to have his toe amputated. I think I’m overly cautious now because of that.

 

[Smileybans]

Little Foots left foot is hanging by just her skin. I think. It partially fell off then started to bleed a lot. I wrapped it up after stopping the blood because I didn’t want infection to happen. It was an open wound. Will her foot fall off the rest of the way on its own?

Sorry for the blurry picture. She shakes all the time so it’s difficult to get a photo of her holding still.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Little Foots left foot is hanging by just her skin. I think. It partially fell off then started to bleed a lot. I wrapped it up after stopping the blood because I didn’t want infection to happen. It was an open wound. Will her foot fall off the rest of the way on its own?

Sorry for the blurry picture. She shakes all the time so it’s difficult to get a photo of her holding still.
View attachment 2999386View attachment 2999387

That's definitely gonna go soon.
Maybe put some antibiotic cream on if there's an open wound?

 

[TheOddOneOut]

It's so swollen. That worries me.

 

[Smileybans]

It's so swollen. That worries me.

I think it’s because of the foot that’s still on there. Again it’s only on by like a flap of skin but I don’t know if I should cut it off. I feel like that would be the best choice but it would be an open wound if I were to do that.

I don’t think the wound is open anymore. It closed up after I wrapped it. When I took the bandage off there was a scab. There hasn’t been any more bleeding either. I still soak her feet but only once a day. I’m hoping the Epsom salts will help keep any infection at bay.

 

[Eggcessive]

It may be time to stop the soaks to let the necrotic tissue to dry out and come off. Betadine or chlorhexidene are good disinfectants to paint on the stump without having to keep soaking. But if you think that the piece of tissue holding the foot on is dry enough, you could snip it off. You are the expert here. Thank you for posting those pictures. It helps others to see what this looks like.

 

[Smileybans]

It may be time to stop the soaks to let the necrotic tissue to dry out and come off. Betadine or chlorhexidene are good disinfectants to paint on the stump without having to keep soaking. But if you think that the piece of tissue holding the foot on is dry enough, you could snip it off. You are the expert here. Thank you for posting those pictures. It helps others to see what this looks like.

I honestly wasn’t sure what to do here. My gut says to cut the foot off because I’m not sure how long its going to take to fall off. But I also dont want it to bleed. Little Foot has stopped moving around as much as well once her foot fell off half way. She mostly sits under her heating plate now and only comes out to sleep under the hen. I have moved her water and food closer to the heat plate so she is eating and drinking. I keep meaning to pick up more chlorhexidene but i keep forgetting. If i stop the soaks I wouldn’t wrap the stump still? Just put some disinfectant on it correct?

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Hi @Smileybans . Yes you are correct; stop the soaks, leave stump unwrapped, but do keep healing stump medicated. The advice I just stated is the advice others gave me during my own hen's ordeal. Did you decide to snip the skin holding on to the dead foot?

I don't think anyone has answered your question as to why Little Foot's feet shake so much while you are treating them. I've had no answer myself, but thought of your question while I was treating a rooster for bumblefoot this past weekend. He's a nice guy, but I've never needed to handle him before now. He remained motionless the whole time while upside down in my lap, as I dug out the plug, medicated and wrapped. Well, motionless except both feet trembled and shook non-stop! In my rooster's case, I think that was how he showed his stress. And probably the fear of further pain since his infected foot was already painful. If Little Foot is very calm and stoic except for the trembling feet, a similiar stress reaction may be occurring with her/him too.