California - Northern

[capayvalleychick]

I've managed to get a closer look -- and it's not clear whether they are healed or not, they do not look comfortable at all -- and only one of the five seems to be trouble-free. upon closer inspection, the cockerel is missing most of a middle toe, the isbar pullet is the worst off with two entire toes missing, and clearly having trouble putting weight on that foot (although not "acting sick," she's hopping around eating and etc.), then one marans is missing both back toes, and the other marans seems to have intact feet but is limping.

there's no string or anything they could get caught on, and i don't see how ALL of them could have injured themselves that way -- but the pens are made of hardware cloth, and i don't see any signs of rodents getting in (no droppings etc) or anything else trying to break in. they roost up near the top of their pen, and i can't see how anything could reach them there if it wasn't already IN the pen?

this is so disturbing -- and I don't know what to do for the birds, i don't have an empty pen to move them to, nor am I sure how to treat their feet, or just leave them alone & hope they heal? argh, hate feeling so helpless/clueless!

It probably is rodents, but I will tell you what (I think) caused one of my hens to almost lose a toe. I saw her limping and upon inspection noticed that her middle toe was almost ripped off. It was dangling by some skin.
I searched around, looking for a probable cause and found an exposed screw head sticking up on the top side edge of the ramp of the mobile coop. I think she may have caught her toe on that screw as she was jumping in or out and ripped her toe.
It was filthy so we had to scrub it out thoroughly. We put Vetricin on it and wrapped it in gauze with vet wrap, changing this bandaging as needed. We gave her a series of penicillin shots for 10 days and kept her in a small puppy sized crate so that she couldn't walk. After the 10 days, we kept her in a 8x6 pen for another 2 weeks. Then we were able to remove the bandage because it had healed enough that she could return to the mobile coop. Her toe is not normal but she gets around fine now.
So, you might look around wherever they walk or jump or roost, just in case there is something sharp that they can catch a toe on.

 

[lawatt]

It probably is rodents, but I will tell you what (I think) caused one of my hens to almost lose a toe. I saw her limping and upon inspection noticed that her middle toe was almost ripped off. It was dangling by some skin.
I searched around, looking for a probable cause and found an exposed screw head sticking up on the top side edge of the ramp of the mobile coop. I think she may have caught her toe on that screw as she was jumping in or out and ripped her toe.
It was filthy so we had to scrub it out thoroughly. We put Vetricin on it and wrapped it in gauze with vet wrap, changing this bandaging as needed. We gave her a series of penicillin shots for 10 days and kept her in a small puppy sized crate so that she couldn't walk. After the 10 days, we kept her in a 8x6 pen for another 2 weeks. Then we were able to remove the bandage because it had healed enough that she could return to the mobile coop. Her toe is not normal but she gets around fine now.
So, you might look around wherever they walk or jump or roost, just in case there is something sharp that they can catch a toe on.

thanks -- i just checked again, and nothing sharp that i can see/detect -- BUT as i look more carefully at that particular pen, it's on the side of the structure that has a higher roofline (the roof slants backwards, so is high in front and low in back), and there's room for smaller birds in particular to roost ON a section of hardware cloth wire that slants upwards to cover the opening -- and so i wonder whether they've been roosting there with their toes poking through the wire, and a rodent came along on the OUTside and bit them?

will see if moving them helps prevent further damage -- i hope it does!

 

[tls_ranch]

Final count 39 chicks 3 are still fluffing up in the bator. 2 eggs failed to pip.

 

[ronott1]

Final count 39 chicks 3 are still fluffing up in the bator. 2 eggs failed to pip.

That is a very nice hatch!

They all look so nice too

 

[PetRock]

Final count 39 chicks 3 are still fluffing up in the bator. 2 eggs failed to pip.

Congrats on the fantastic hatch and the adorable chicks!!!

 

[Hangtown Farms]

I have heard no withdrawl for eating eggs with frontline but would like everyone's opinion

 

[ronott1]

I have heard no withdrawl for eating eggs with frontline but would like everyone's opinion

There is a withdrawl for meat. I read a study that said it did not get into more than the oil glands in the skin.

Eggs are fine.

 

[AlpineButterfly]

All this talk of missing toes and lice and leg mites... now I worry I haven't been studying my girls enough!

I hope everyone's birds recover!

 

[Hangtown Farms]

There is a withdrawl for meat. I read a study that said it did not get into more that the oil glands in the skin.

Eggs are fine.

Yes just thru glands got the worst birds and ran out of the goods

 

[EZFarms]

Is it bad if tbe yolk moves when the egg is turned?