Matilda is going to lose her feet. :(

[McChooky]

My dads leghorns roosted in the trees (WV) but I don't recall any of his hens feet being frost bitten only their combs.This is a truly heartbreaking thing to have to treat! I'm so sorry!

 

[Sydney65]

Awww poor hens, I thought where I live that it was cold but I think my girls can handle it

Our winters are, in general, mild. There's just that week or 2 when the bottom drops out. They can handle it,....if they come down out of the tree...

 

[Sydney65]

Spent yesterday trying to create a sling. A seamstress I am not, so looked at rescue site- they used bungee cargo nets stretched iut with cushion for the torso to lie on.
Any other day I'd see those locker bungee nets everywhere, but not yesterday. Ended up at Harbor Freight and got motorcycle helmet holder bungee nets for $3 each. Stretched over clothes basket, put cushioning in front center so the head was supported and poop shoot free. If they were active this wouldn't go well, but slipped legs through holes on either side of cushion and they were able to dangle, and with a towel over them, they were calm, if not asleep.
Whoever thought of this was a genius-it not only gets weight off of legs/feet, but they kind of paddle /air step. I was concerned about atrophying muscles and contractions, so this is great.
Willow gets in the water & seems to know it's good, because she gently marches in it. Nomie tries to roll in it.
Nomie's left foot completely dropped off yesterday, so we're in stump care mode. There was a small amt of bleeding, it was apparently hanging by one live thread.
Unable to find any locally, I ordered manuka honey impregnated pads. Until they get here dressings are gauze heavily coated with triple antibiotic ointment and vet wrap. Even padded to extend length and cushion, the stump is shorter than the other leg since the foot is still attached, but she's figuring out how to stand long enough to reposition.
I did get the baby aspirin. The stump was a bit warm when I changed it today, not a whole lot, given that they run a lot warmer than us anyway. I rinsed it well with normal saline before redressing. No bleeding or drainage,clotted well. I can't see soaking it in tub of epsom salts as an open wound. The salts would be good, but the other foot would be adding more contaminants.
No one mentioned antibiotics. I know, contraindicated. But these are my babies, not my meal ticket.
Many often suggest Baytril for everything, but that seems to be more respiratory. I can't remember if it was merck or another avian vet entry I read, but it recommended amoxicillin/clavulanate (augmentin).
Didn't find that anywhere and vets around here don't practice avian med, so I had started regular amoxicillin. It's broad spectrum and good for wounds, and they both seem to be doing well with it. -and if they were laying eggs, withdraw is only 7 days.
Both are eating, drinking, snuggling, attentive and bright eyed. Nomie hid her face in the padding of basket yesterday after the foot came off, but except when I mess with it or she stands up, she seems to forget about it.
No pictures tonight-it's been a long weekend between these 2 and the other 21 getting twitterpated as if it were spring. I have a pic of the foot, but
Willow-still has her feet so far. All of the eschar and scales have sloughed off all the way from her legs to below the ankles. The edges are curled so I expect the rest to slough off soon. She is far more stable on her feet and stands up frequently. I'm still hoping, though not being naive. I tell her how much better it would be to keep them. She seems to agree.
Someone referenced a rooster thread. I started reading it, but - bad timing, I guess. Had to stop after the amputation. It was a better option, bc they were able to create a flap to stitch closed. But I kept glancing over at my girls while reading, and was somewhere between and so stopped reading for awhile.
So that's where we are.

 

[Eggcessive]

Have you seen the chicken sling chairs on this thread? There are good pictures on post 5, 11-14 and many others.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

 

[Sydney65]

Have you seen the chicken sling chairs on this thread? There are good pictures on post 5, 11-14 and many others.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

How are they securing it? I saw one where they used binder clips. I had visions of those snapping open. I guess I could make holes in opposing sides, thread fabric through and tie it

 

[Callender Girl]

I don't think your girls could ask for a more dedicated caretaker. Please keep us updated.

 

[Sydney65]

5 weeks - Willow's feet tonight: still no demarkation line, top layer cont. to peel away, bottoms of feet are warm, still curling toes. Stiff, to be sure, but still curling. She scared me a couple of days ago, had some bleeding. You can see the red dot. But I think there must've been a bit still attached when it started peeling back.

Started the manuka honey dressing on Nomie's stump. As long as there's no drainage coming through, you don't change it everyday. Not sure anyone wants to see pictures of that anyway. But when I cleaned and applied dressing last night I was pleased with the wound. Clean and dry, no redness, drainage or swelling. It. * seems* like the entire process for her has gone faster than for Matilda. Not sure that's accurate, but -

 

[Callender Girl]

Matilda's feet look so much better than my Eleanor's did; my girl lost about half of her toes. There was one occasion where, like you suggested, Eleanor had a bit of blood, likely because the peeling stuff was pulled off a bit too soon from the live tissue.

I think you are doing a phenomenal job with your girl! Hope Nomie continues to do well, too. Keep up your great efforts and best wishes!

 

[Sydney65]

Matilda's feet look so much better than my Eleanor's did; my girl lost about half of her toes. There was one occasion where, like you suggested, Eleanor had a bit of blood, likely because the peeling stuff was pulled off a bit too soon from the live tissue.

I think you are doing a phenomenal job with your girl! Hope Nomie continues to do well, too. Keep up your great efforts and best wishes!

Thank you! Nomie's other foot is still hanging on. I wrapped it lightly today and put Willow in shoes, bc both are over all feeling spunkier and moving around, getting feet soiled. Nomie is more or less over it, now that I'm done, but Willow is confused by the new footware.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

@Sydney65 , I apologize that I didn't see your most recent posts until now. How are Nomie and Willow coming along? I was also wondering if Willow is tolerating and mobile in her new shoes?