Chicken has super swollen frozen feet

[NatureGirl74]

Her feet are getting kinda stiff and don't look very good. She's having some difficulty walking. Her legs are super swollen. It looks like she might lose both of her feet and even some of the leg. Do you think it would be best for her to cull her?

 

[Eggcessive]

I’m sorry that it may turn out that she loses all of her toes. Chickens can survive and get along on 2 stumps if they are about the same length. A lot of this decision is up to you, with how she will be able to get around, how much time you have to care for her, how special she is to you, etc. Since frostbite results take a month or more to be seen, you could wait and see how it turns out. There are a lot of threads on BYC about chickens who have lost both feet. People sometimes just let the chickens be, and they get along okay, while others baby the chickens or make special pets. Culling may be best for some folks, especially if things are not working out. Let us know what happens.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is a good thread with pictures of a hen who lost her feet. At the end of the thread, in post 21, there are links to other threads that you may want to read:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/frostbite-lost-both-feet-my-hens-story.1343701/

 

[NatureGirl74]

Here is a good thread with pictures of a hen who lost her feet. At the end of the thread, in post 21, there are links to other threads that you may want to read:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/frostbite-lost-both-feet-my-hens-story.1343701/

That's a cool article. I didn't know they could live without feet. That was encouraging. That's what my bird's legs are starting to look like, and it's about in the same spot. Mine still comes out of the coop as fast as she can (which isn't super fast) when she hears scratch hit the ground. I don't think she can reach the water though. I made a step for them to get on, but I've never seen her on it. She lays down a lot, but I kind of expected that. I think the swelling is on about the same place on both legs. Even though she can't seem to reach the water she doesn't have any problems getting in and out of the coop. The coop is about 2.5-3 ft above ground and has a steep ramp. In the summer I can use my regular waterer, which she won't have a problem reaching. I'm willing to keep her feet wrapped and change it regularly, as long as she'll be happy. I think I'll wait and see what happens.

 

[NatureGirl74]

She's definitely going to lose both of her feet and part of her legs. Her feet have withered and even started detaching. She's still walking. She comes out of the coop to eat and she goes back in to sleep. She can even get up to the roost, but she prefers to sleep in a nesting box.

Once her feet fall off I'll keep them wrapped. My dad is a jeweler and has to make molds all the time. Once her feet have fallen off and healed we can make a mold of her leg and make a prosthesis. I have left over memory foam too which we could put inside to cushion her legs.

 

[NatureGirl74]

I think the feet are close to falling off. She's having a really hard time walking and standing now. She can't balance very well. My dad is worried that her legs will be infected, and she'll die from sepsis or gangrene. He wants to take the feet off now. We have a scalpel and bandages. In some spots the dead skin has already separated from the healthy skin. Do you think it's a good idea to cut the feet off, or should we wait?

 

[Eggcessive]

I would not take the feet off surgically. They will fall off on their own, and will self amputate exactly where the healthy and dead tupissue come together. If you cut them off, there could be more chances of bone infection. It takes a month to 6 weeks for this to happen. There are many threads here on BYC where you can see the before and after pictures.

 

[NatureGirl74]

I would not take the feet off surgically. They will fall off on their own, and will self amputate exactly where the healthy and dead tupissue come together. If you cut them off, there could be more chances of bone infection. It takes a month to 6 weeks for this to happen. There are many threads here on BYC where you can see the before and after pictures.

Thank you! I've been telling my dad to leave the feet alone, but he keeps telling me that it will get infected if we do that.

 

[NatureGirl74]

Her feet fell off today! I went to check on her and one was off. I got the stump all wrapped up and she tried to fly away. Then, the other one fell off. I don't think it was quite ready though. It bled through the gauze and a piece of paper towel. The stumps look really good. I gave her some pain medicine. She's having a hard time balancing, but that's to be expected. She hasn't wanted to get up and eat yesterday or today. If I hold food up to her she eats, but then, she loses her balance and panics. Then, she won't eat anymore.

 

[NatureGirl74]

She hasn't eaten in hours. She doesn't seem interested in food at all. Is she stressed from losing her feet? I've also had her back in the garage for about a week. Could she just be depressed from not seeing the rest of the flock? She's still very alert. She doesn't look sick, she just won't eat.