Baby chicks losing toes

[notboudreaux]

We have five baby barred rocks who are losing their toes! It starts by discoloring at the toenails, cracked skin, swelling, and then the toes just fall off, one joint at a time. I started washing the feet with hydrogen peroxide and it seems to have slowed down, but there are no signs of mites, etc. Has anyone had this problem? They were raised in a cage with a wire floor. Could that have anything to do with it - One of the five can't even walk, and one doesn't seem to be infected. Help!

 

[fancbrd4me02]

Pictures, please. How long have you had them, what do they eat, do they have any other problems/symptoms, the more info you can give us, the better. And pictures.

 

[KellyHM]

They may have gotten cuts from the wire that got infected. Is it cold where you are? Frostbite can do that too.

 

[notboudreaux]

Thanks so much for the quick response! - I will takes some pics tomorrow. I kinda think it may have been the wire floor on the second brooder they were in, even though we've used it over the years for our babies and have never had this problem before. ??? Been raising chickens for 20 years and have never seen this one. Since the hydrogen peroxide solution seems to have stopped the process, the idea that it may indeed be an infection situation seems plausible. Thanks -

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

I just got off the phone with my mom...I was telling her about someone I know who has hens with no toes. Before I could explain to my mom that they hatched out that way my mom said that chickens can lose toes due to mites. It's worth checking into.