Please Help, My chisken's toes are falling off

[chickybabys]

I have a hen that is loosing her toes. The toe turns black from the first knuckle to the tip of the toes and then dries up and falls off. I am very worries as she is the only hen in my hen house that is having this problem and I am concerned that it may spread to the rest of the hens. Does anyone know what causes this and can it spread?

 

[Chickengal505]

Did you say falling off??? never heard of that...

 

[chickygirl2]

Well if it were colder, I would guess they were frostbitten. Could she have been injured on her feet on something in her pen. Could anything have chewed her toes?

 

[chickybabys]

Not that I know of, there isn't anything for her to hurt her feet on and the rest of the hens are all fine. The toes that she does have left seem to be healthy. Do you think she could survive if she lost all her toes? I am very worried for her!

 

[ScoobyRoo]

You dont mention your climate or how old the hen is. It would be helpful to give as much info as possible so someone more knowledgeable can help you.
I would have guessed frostbite too.

BTW, welcome and I hope you find an answer to your hen's delimma.

 

[chickybabys]

Thank you ... My hen is about 2yrs. We live in Ontario Canada so we our days are about +22 and the evenings don't seem to be going lower than +12.

 

[ivan3]

Welcome!

How many weeks ago did you first notice the changes to the toes? And what were your low temps a week prior to that?

A photo of the feet would be most helpful.

Keep feet as clean as possible (isolate in a crate with soft bedding - feed and water off of floor so she can't tip over/step-in).

 

[kathyinmo]

Here is an article and a picture of toes that fell off due to mites .....

http://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/0019.html

 

[Elainz]

I
found this little banty out at my farm, and I thought she had a severe case of mites too! so I started slathering her feet down with vaseline..and after about a week she lost her 1st toe!! and NO!! its not from it being cold! its summer here in Arkansas! she now losing 2 more toes! same thing your chicken has! i could of sworn i caught it in time if it were mites! poor little thing! Im not sure how she will be able to walk either she already shuffles!Kathy's Ohio pics do not look like my chickens toes! hers are BLACK, all the way up the whole toe and the scales on her legs are already gone.. I think she will have to stay in the house this winter due to no scales on her legs! Elainz

 

[Elainz]

Dont fell bad neither have the vets in my area!! Ive got one too! they put her on antibiotics! amoxicillan says it might be a virus??! they have no clue! said she would probably lose the rest of her toes! poor girl! she is so sweet! she just showed up one day! and my flock treats her badly but she loves hanging with the young ones!