Need Help, Can Chickens Get Frostbite?

[chickensrock12]

So, this morning I looked out my window and one of my hens was walking funny. I went out and picked her up. Her leg was purple and I looked in there water bowl and there was a chicken footprint in it. Please help, is this frostbite?

 

[Blooie]

Oh, my goodness! I don't get notifications when someone tags me so thank you @Wyorp Rock for sending me a private message with the heads up. I apologize for not seeing this sooner when I might have really been able to help.

@chickensrock12 you could still be in for a long haul. I had a chick who got frostbite on his feet...our temps had gone from the upper 60s/low 70s and then plunged to 17 below zero in just 30 hours or so. Yeah, not fun, and the little booger got his feet wet at the waterer. They had big blisters on them and in just a few days looked very much like the top photo you posted. I couldn't find anything on here to help me - frostbitten combs and wattles were covered but not feet. So I had to improvise. I devised a "hot tub" for him and soaked his feet in Epsom salts. I kept them clean (secondary infection was my big fear) and kept betadine on them. I massaged them with Castor Oil (don't laugh, it works to increase circulation) and raw honey. I had no vet to fall back on, so it was wing it or lose him.

He seemed to be getting better, but the tricky thing about frostbite is that there is often damage deep within the tissue that doesn't show up right away. In Scout's case, that deep damage showed up in about a week's time (from when the feet looked like they were back to "normal" ) to the time when contractures suddenly appeared. They were a mess. I tried bandaging them to get some straightening and I did get a little, but the correction didn't last. I'm not trying to discourage you - I'm just telling you this so that if it happens to your hen you won't have an emotional crash like I did!

He didn't lose any toes, but they were worthless to him for the rest of his life. Didn't stop him, though! He flew up to the roost at night, down during the day, scratched in the dirt, ran, mated with the girls, and until you specifically looked down at his feet there was no indication that he'd been through such an ordeal. He was a total, macho rooster in every way! So don't give up hope - imperfect doesn't mean unlovable and he was most definitely that! He had no pain in his feet - if he would have been in pain he certainly couldn't have moved without a limp or without some sign - so we just treated him like a chicken and he responded like a chicken. Simple!

I wish you all the best in this fight against frostbitten feet. One thing I would suggest is not to give her bread. The jury is still out, but many people have said that bread can cause sour crop, and she has enough of a battle without that too. I don't know if it does or not, but why risk it just in case? HOWEVER, I would recommend some Poly-Vi-Sorb vitamins - basically some baby vitamins and get the one without iron) and the easiest way I've found to give a drop or two of that is ----yep, a couple of drops on a small crust of bread. She'll scarf it down and not even know it's on there, so you don't have to worry about trying to hold her, open her beak, get it in and avoid having it go down the wrong pipe. So while I don't recommend giving a lot of bread, we're just talking one tiny little bit - for medicinal purposes only.

If you are having trouble getting her to eat her regular food, you can try moistening it a bit to make a sort of "mash". They usually dive into that head first.

You can read Scout's incredible journey (and the chronological details of his treatments) in the article link but here are a few of photos of our amazing guy....There are also some videos on his page to show his movement with the stubs that he had for feet.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-adventures-of-scout


Blisters like this on both feet....I drained them and cleaned them but they kept reforming.


So I got Betadine on them and bandaged them.


Scout thought his "hot tub" was the best! It's just a candle lid, perfect because the silicone seal kept him from slipping deeper in and his feet were suspended just above the glass, allowing the warm Epsom Salt water to completely surround them. It looks like they are touching the bottom in his photo but they were just above it.


A couple of days after I started treatment. This was the night I almost called it and culled him.


But then he turned a corner. Look at those amazing feet - they look pretty normal. It appeared that he'd be able to use them well.


Less than a week later, the deeper damage showed up.


But nothing stopped Scout.


Notice his feet - just worthless stubs on the end of his legs. But he didn't know that, and we weren't gonna tell him!

I hope this has given you a bit of hope! I hope.

 

[Beth77]

Chickens will generally get frostbite on their combs, that looks a lot like scaly leg mites to me. I'll attach some information on it and you can see what you think. http://www.smallholder.co.uk/poultry/11696326.Effects_and_treatment_of_scaly_leg_mite_in_chickens/

 

[Wyorp Rock]

@Blooie ???

It looks like frostbite to me. Bring her in to a slightly warmer location, you don't want her to overheat and you want the feet to warm very slowly. Don't put them in warm water to warm them up.

Place her on clean dry bedding. I would suggest leaving the feet alone for a while, then access if you need to spray on anything like Vetericyn. Depending on how severe some of her toes may fall off, but chickens are adaptable.

Make sure she stays hydrated and add some vitamins to her water if you have them.


I tagged Blooie, she has some experience with frostbite on the feet, so input will be very helpful.

Let us know how she's doing.



http://www.tillysnest.com/2013/01/frostbite-and-backyard-chickens.html/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/844688/frostbite-on-foot

 

[Eggcessive]

@Blooie ???

It looks like frostbite to me. Bring her in to a slightly warmer location, you don't want her to overheat and you want the feet to warm very slowly. Don't put them in warm water to warm them up.

Place her on clean dry bedding. I would suggest leaving the feet alone for a while, then access if you need to spray on anything like Vetericyn. Depending on how severe some of her toes may fall off, but chickens are adaptable.

Make sure she stays hydrated and add some vitamins to her water if you have them.


I tagged Blooie, she has some experience with frostbite on the feet, so input will be very helpful.

Let us know how she's doing.



http://www.tillysnest.com/2013/01/frostbite-and-backyard-chickens.html/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/844688/frostbite-on-foot

X 2. Most cases of frostbitten feet may take a few days to judge how much damage has been done. Usually, when a toe is black, it may fall of in weeks to a month. They can survive without a few toes, but occasionally a foot is lost.

 

[chickensrock12]

What, how can I help to keep her toes and feet. I can't let that happen.

 

[Eggcessive]

Unfortunately, the damage may have been done already. Do not massage the feet, which can damage them further and cause pain. Just make sure she is eating and drinking. You may want to bring her inside for a day or two to access the damage. Keep areas dry and free of water that can be walked through.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

What, how can I help to keep her toes and feet. I can't let that happen.

I'm sorry, but there is nothing you can do to prevent them from falling off if the tissue is dead. I understand that is sounds terrible, but for the time being try to focus on making her comfortable and taking care that infection doesn't set in.

If you have vet care available, that would be best.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Cold air is dry air and water evaporates more quickly under cold and dry conditions thus accelerating heat loss. This is why it is so dangerous to fall in liquid water in arctic environments.

Your bird will be lucky if it avoids loosing at least 3 toes.

The rest of you should fix watering sights that keep your chickens' feet dry.

 

[chickensrock12]

OK, I've had her in the house for about a day. She is doing well. My vet said every 5 to 7 hours dip her feet in warm water with one teaspoon of salt and a med she gave me. She said its less likely she will lose a foot or toe. Do to that it is only first degree frostbite. She said it will heal with in a month or two. But, my other gals won't get this too. I moved them to the garage. In my old rabbit hutch. I have four chickens. Rose, nugget, red, and Carmel renamed frosty. Frosty is upstairs in my room. She is in a towl and has a heater, feed, and water. She is doing better. Thanks guys. I found that my sprinkler pipe has a leak and it goes under the coop. It keeps raising. It was 12 degrees today. She was eating the bread I put in there this morning. She must have been in it for a while. But, once again thank you. If I have questions I'll ask.