Can an old foot injury make your chicken more prone to frost bite? (Photos)

[shell3]

oh what a time your having! so sorry about poor rogers wattles ill find the new thread and keep updated. xx

 

[Happy Chooks]

 

[Bogtown Chick]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...sota-coop-frozen-wattles-on-roo#post_10413173

We'll put Roger's continuing battles with the cold on this thread for now. and free up this one for others with just pale cold frozen toe concerns. Thanks all and hope to see you over there.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Here is the underside of Roger's toe today. I know we're getting down to the nitty gritties here and this probably won't be anything for a tough old rooster. But there appears to be a bit of a nipped spot that has a ring of inflammation around it. Not sure what will happen here but fingers crossed that new tissue will just grow nicely underneath and the skin will just naturally slough. Temps were 18 F or -8 C. So it must have felt dreamy out there in the run for those chickens.

Wet appearing spot on older ulceration is just ointment. No drainage from this point at any time during the process. Just sort of firm, slightly swollen and none to little drainage.

 

[choptank330]

Hopefully the ointment will help that poor baby's toe!! Come on Rogers toe!! We are all rooting for you

 

[cowcreekgeek]

You're gonna find gettin' him reaccustomed to the cold will be a bit of a problem, but ... you're right ... gettin' him past this is the main concern. I do think I'd find him a less warm place -- maybe even movin' him to a garage, or under the house at night?

Here's an article, in the offensive such 'n such 'for dummies' style ...
but, it sounds like their information is right, so far as I know:
How to Treat Frostbite in Chickens

By Kimberly Willis and Rob Ludlow from Raising Chickens For Dummies
8 of 12 in Series: The Essentials of Tending a Sick or Injured Chicken

If you are raising chickens in a cold area, your birds may suffer from frostbite. Of course, a well-designed chicken coop helps prevent frostbite, but no one can control the weather. One day, you may find black on your chickens’ combs or wattles — a sure sign of damage. It’s important to understand how to deal with the condition if this ever affects your backyard flock.
Frostbite causes blackened areas on the ends of combs, wattles, and sometimes toes. In most cases, these areas dry up and fall off eventually. Do not trim off the blackened area unless it gets infected — the blackened area gives some protection to the area below it. When you remove that, the area beneath it may be frostbitten next. Do, however, keep an eye on the area. If infection sets in, you will have to trim the black off the comb or wattle.
Rubbing chicken combs and wattles with oil, petroleum jelly, and other things doesn’t prevent frostbite. If your weather regularly gets down near zero, hanging some heat lamps over the roosting area or heating the shelter may help. Don’t heat shelters too much above freezing, because doing so causes moisture problems that may be worse than the cold.
Roosters with frostbitten combs may be temporarily infertile. But it’s not the frostbite that causes the infertility; it’s the amount of cold that the chicken has been exposed to. Usually fertility is restored after conditions improve and the rooster’s body recovers from the stress.

 

[shell3]

am i right in saying the swelling is pretty muchgone? id say the first shots looked very swollen in comparison.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Swelling I would say is gone. But at the very farthest knuckle down where the tissue is lifting it is more larger than the other toe. Almost you know like a jammed knuckle would be. Maybe slow for the inflammation to come out of the joint. It's very firm though..not able to push or dent it in any way. And it remains a paler color there as well. Everything else right up to it is the same as the other toe on the other foot. Time. I think it just needs time and keeping an eye on it.

Bandage came off the toe today sometime before noon and I just removed it the rest of the way from the ankle. I'll double check the toe but I think I will just leave it unless i see something worsening. I think it's probably a nuisance now more than anything for him.

 

[shell3]

thats such good news, maybe the toe will always be a bit stiff or not have full movement .if its jammed but could be over time it will repair fully.i hope so. hows the movement? does it bend in all the right places? is he using it well? is he still holding it up and clenching? sorry for 20 q's just trying to get a fuller picture

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Use is normal. these are good questions that I should answer! I should pick him up and put my finger underneath the toe and push on it...he'll usually clench. But From what i can see his scratching, standing, is fully normal in the toes stance. He does not clench any more than usually should. Not like before. I'd say fully functional right now. I hope that new spot underneath just sort of takes care of itself while covered with skin yet.