My polish crested roo, David Bowie, got baling twine wrapped around his feet (I still don't know how they manage to do this) and really managed to get it wrapped tightly around his middle toe. After we removed the twine, he limped a little for a while but seemed ok. Then I noticed his toe was swollen. Upon further investigation, it was super infected and had dead skin all around it.
First I read
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/infected-toe-very-swollen-help.382738/page-4
I cleaned the area, soaked the foot, removed the dead skin, and tried to cut into the toe to get to the infection. I obviously didn't cut like I meant it, because I didn't get to the infection and all I managed to do was scare my poor roo. The next day I was doing a soak again and something startled Mr Bowie and he kicked the side of the paper cup, BREAKING THE END OF HIS TOE OFF. Literally broke the end of his toe off; it was being held by a little bit of skin so I cut through that and bandaged him up and put him into the "doctoring kennel" with some mealworms (which he ate promptly).
Then I read
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-to-amputate-my-roos-toe-graphic-pics.201151/
I dread opening up his foot and scraping, and the infection makes his toe almost as big as my pinky. Would it be better / more preferable for him to just take the toe off rather than open and scrape a lot since he's already been through a lot of toe-trauma?
1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
White Crested Polish Black Rooster, about a year old, feels like he's normal weight
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Limping, breaking his toe off during treatment
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
Three weeks or so since the initial twine incident
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
Nope
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
Bleeding stopped, but it's all still swollen
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
Twine > infection > accidental partial toe-ectomy
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Everything that we give him, thankfully; regular 18% layer crumble, chick starter, mealworms
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Normal
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Soaking, cutting, accidentally removing part of his toe
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
Doing it myself because there are no chicken vets nearby
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
(The part that came off was the top bit that's not swollen; came clean off where the swelling ends)
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
Doctoring crate - medium sized dog kennel, soft blanket for him to lay on
First I read
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/infected-toe-very-swollen-help.382738/page-4
I cleaned the area, soaked the foot, removed the dead skin, and tried to cut into the toe to get to the infection. I obviously didn't cut like I meant it, because I didn't get to the infection and all I managed to do was scare my poor roo. The next day I was doing a soak again and something startled Mr Bowie and he kicked the side of the paper cup, BREAKING THE END OF HIS TOE OFF. Literally broke the end of his toe off; it was being held by a little bit of skin so I cut through that and bandaged him up and put him into the "doctoring kennel" with some mealworms (which he ate promptly).
Then I read
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-to-amputate-my-roos-toe-graphic-pics.201151/
I dread opening up his foot and scraping, and the infection makes his toe almost as big as my pinky. Would it be better / more preferable for him to just take the toe off rather than open and scrape a lot since he's already been through a lot of toe-trauma?
1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
White Crested Polish Black Rooster, about a year old, feels like he's normal weight
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Limping, breaking his toe off during treatment
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
Three weeks or so since the initial twine incident
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
Nope
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
Bleeding stopped, but it's all still swollen
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
Twine > infection > accidental partial toe-ectomy
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Everything that we give him, thankfully; regular 18% layer crumble, chick starter, mealworms
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Normal
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Soaking, cutting, accidentally removing part of his toe
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
Doing it myself because there are no chicken vets nearby
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
(The part that came off was the top bit that's not swollen; came clean off where the swelling ends)
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
Doctoring crate - medium sized dog kennel, soft blanket for him to lay on
