5mo Pullet /w folded toe. Break and set/splint?

SheenaBee

Chirping
Jan 12, 2018
49
70
75
Good afternoon all,
I have no idea how I didn’t notice this little ones toe when she was a little chick. By the time I saw it, she was about 12 weeks, but didn’t seem to be causing any problems or lameness and it was past the point of an easy chick-shoe solution. Fast forward to today, at approximately 5 months, and she is limping and greatly favouring that leg. My touching the toe appears to be very painful for her. I only see 2 options - either leave her be (I imagine it will only bother her more as time goes on though) or straighten it out (which I imagine is actually breaking bone or a joint) and splint it. She’s otherwise a beautiful partridge Silkie, I’d even show her if not for the toe, so I refuse to cull.
What would you do? And if you would break and splint, is there tips or anything else I should be aware of that would be different from fixing a chicks toes?
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**And yes, I know she has some lifted scales.... Scaly leg mites has been an ongoing battle in the flock that I’m working diligently to treat.
 
Is it the larger back toe that you are talking about? I can't quite figure which toe it is. If it seriously limits her mobility, another possibility might be surgical removal by an avian veterinarian.
 
Is it the larger back toe that you are talking about? I can't quite figure which toe it is. If it seriously limits her mobility, another possibility might be surgical removal by an avian veterinarian.

You’re correct, it’s the larger back toe. There isn’t an avian veterinarian within a few hours drive from where I am, they can do some basic things but it’s rather limited to what they would have dealt with for large local egg producers - infectious disease etc. but nothing requiring anesthesia.
And sadly, even if they could provide the procedure, it wouldn’t be something that I could work into our budget.
 
I would wonder about placing something like a cotton ball or rolled up gauze pad between the toe and the foot pad, and taping that in place with strips of vet wrap, similar to a bumblefoot dressing. Then every few days try to add more gauze or a larger cotton ball to try and move the toe around eventually. It may not be possible to fix, but you can try. Here is a video for the bumblefoot dressing technique:
 
I would wonder about placing something like a cotton ball or rolled up gauze pad between the toe and the foot pad, and taping that in place with strips of vet wrap, similar to a bumblefoot dressing. Then every few days try to add more gauze or a larger cotton ball to try and move the toe around eventually. It may not be possible to fix, but you can try. Here is a video for the bumblefoot dressing technique:

Your idea might be worth a try! Doing it gradually hadn't even crossed my mind. I think I’ll try that tomorrow. Thanks!
 

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