Frostbite

[LaurenRitz]

Apparently I am now her flock. She cries if she can't see me, and runs after me if I walk away. Another month before I can get chicks for her to bond with.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

The 2nd toe just came off. The middle one is still hanging on.

She flew out of her bin and down to the floor and I noticed her foot was bleeding. I gave her another bath and it came off right after. Then she ate it!

This one is still hanging on by a thread. It just flops around and gets in her way when she walks. I am wondering if I should take it off somehow.

That tickles me that she ate it!

@Allsfairinloveandbugs what do you think? Trim the hanging toe?
If it's really just by a tiny thread of skin, I think I would. Swab it well with Chlorhexidine, then cut the string of skin. Maybe you can grab the toe before she eats that one too!

I have to laugh, chickens will snatch up and eat lots of things. I went outside one time and had completely forgotten I had a fairly large scab on my ankle from an injury. I was busy filling the water bowl when I felt pain. Looked down and one hen had ripped off my scab and took off, the others in hot pursuit for a tasty scab tidbit One discovered I was bleeding and decided that needed a good pecking. Chaos!

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Someone's chicken whos thread I was following last year had the same happen; the entire foot detached except for a strip of xead skin/tissue. They snipped it off same as @Wyorp Rock suggested. If you think the dead toe is merely "hanging by a thread", I would snip it off. A judgement call on your part and hard to see how much is attached in the pic.

Do keep the remaining viable toe tissue clean and medicated for the next few days until it has time to scab over. The first few days after autoamputation is when the remaining tissue is most susceptible to infection.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Apparently I am now her flock. She cries if she can't see me, and runs after me if I walk away. Another month before I can get chicks for her to bond with.

I think you will see the bond between you grow incredibly close from here on out, even when you get her other flock members. My footless hen has grown as cuddly as a seven-pound feathered puppy. @azygous says it has to do with a bird producing oxytocin, "the love hormone." I believe she is planning to write an article about the phenomenon.

 

[LaurenRitz]

The middle toe is attached by either a bone or a tendon. I pulled gently and could see that something in the middle is the only thing that's holding it on. Not sure I want to mess with that.

 

[LaurenRitz]

I see no sign of infection in the foot, poop looks normal, but she appears to be throwing up.

This is the foot a few minutes ago. I wonder if she's having digestive problems because of the claw she ate.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I see no sign of infection in the foot, poop looks normal, but she appears to be throwing up.

This is the foot a few minutes ago. I wonder if she's having digestive problems because of the claw she ate.

Possible.
By throwing up, I assume she's spitting up water/soupy feed?
Are you providing a source of grit (crushed granite) for her while she's been isolated? If not, then I would offer her a little grit, let her take a few pieces if she's keen to do so, then take out the grit.
Realistically, the toe/claw should go through the gizzard just fine, but I also have an imagination and can think of a toenail stuck in the crop or proventriculus too.
So. See that she's drinking well, give her a bit of grit, get some raw egg white into her as well, the egg white is slimy and may help move things along.
See if her crop is empty in the a.m. before she eats/drinks.
Keep us posted.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Her crop was empty, she seems to be eating and drinking fine. And now that I think of it, her foot looks really swollen.

Does this look like normal behavior? I tried to catch it multiple times but turned the video off seconds too soon. That's a fan going in the background.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Her crop was empty, she seems to be eating and drinking fine. And now that I think of it, her foot looks really swollen.

Does this look like normal behavior? I tried to catch it multiple times but turned the video off seconds too soon. That's a fan going in the background.

Are you asking about the laying down, scooting and flapping of the wings and pecking at the floor?
That behavior looks like an attempt to dust bath.

How old is this little cutie? Quite a comb there, I'm wondering if this is a cockerel!

The foot does look a little puffy which may be normal, hopefully @Allsfairinloveandbugs will chime in with thoughts.

Are you still soaking daily in epsom salts?

I'd be inclined to provide the chick with a tub/dish pan of dirt/sand mix so s/he can take a dust bath, lounge/hang out, etc. but I wouldn't put it in front of the fan. If the temps outside are fair, then I'd put the tub outside and let the youngster have some fresh air/sun and dirt for a little while.

 

[LaurenRitz]

S/he is 14 weeks, give or take. I think it's been established that she is actually he, but since I started this thread thinking s/he was a pullet. I didn't want to confuse things.

I have continued with the Epsom salt baths, but not every day.