old poop stuck on 3 week old chick's foot, cutting into toe

[Autumn Mama]

hi all,

i have a welsummer baby, who is just over three weeks old, and a few days back, maybe a week, she got some tough, sticky poop on her foot. it is crusted right on, embedded almost, and seems to be cutting into the toe ... will this eventually fall off on its own, or do i intervene? what shall i do to remove it, as it is so old?

thanks for any advice, i worry it will cause injury to the foot.

 

[chad-o]

Soak in warm water and that will remove it.

 

[Autumn Mama]

i thought of that, but as she is 3 weeks old and not adequately feathered out to withstand the chilling from getting wet, how would i approach that?

 

[chad-o]

Just hold her and let her feet dangle in the water. You could even do it under the faucet. No need to soak the whole bird.

 

[ChickenLegs13]

Don't soak the whole chicken! Just wet her foot.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I had a bad problem with mud balls on the toes this spring, and it can actually amputate the toe if you don't get it off. I saw one of mine where the toe had grown except where the mud ball was. Fortunately I got it off and saved the toe. Everything is fine now.

Soak the little one in a very shallow pan of warm water for about 5-10 minutes. Make it just deep enough to soak her feet/legs. Get a chair and stay with her at all times, with your hands on her so she doesn't fall asleep and drown.

Then gently try to pick it off. If it doesn't come off, keep soaking until it will come off easily. I have found that at about 3 weeks of age, they stop getting the mud balls since they start scratching the ground more vigorously.

I had to wash this batch of chicks' feet I don't know how many times!! I have never seen a year like this one. I spent literally hours soaking chick feet, since I had a large batch of chicks. And I have raised a lot of chicks.

If you get the whole body wet it is best to blow them dry carefully with a hair dryer.

Unfortunately they get these mud balls by stepping in their water and then stepping in food/poo/mud. It really helps to try to raise the waterer if possible by putting it on a brick or something but do make sure they can still reach it.

 

[Autumn Mama]

thank you, yes she is a feisty one and i was imagining her thrashing about as we held her foot over any amount of water. i will not soak the bird, lol. we've raised chicks a few times but never had the poop on the foot. always something new! my son is sitting with her in a shallow bowl of warm water, she likes how he holds her. when i hold her you'd think she was being torn apart. i am glad to try anything, as i can tell the toe will be growing awkwardly if we don't do something. i'll keep y'all posted. thanks again.

 

[Autumn Mama]

okay we got it off! you can see from the image the back right toe is shorter, stunted a bit from the poop preventing it from growing. i think she'll be okay. it is a bit bloody, but not bleeding, just a wound. she is dry and back with her brooder mates. should i do anything else?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

okay we got it off! you can see from the image the back right toe is shorter, stunted a bit from the poop preventing it from growing. i think she'll be okay. it is a bit bloody, but not bleeding, just a wound. she is dry and back with her brooder mates. should i do anything else?

Just keep an eye on it...you can spray it with some Blu Kote to help prevent infection if you want.

 

[Autumn Mama]

i will look for it, thank you, i looked at the photo again and i sure hope she doesn't lose her claw. it looks like the tissue has died.