Chicken with Frostbite-Need help!Please!Pics

[michellelei1]

Hi,
I have a sebright hen that got frostbite on her toe and leg. She's been in for 6 days and all she does is sleep. She eats very little and I can't even bribe her with scrambled eggs, oatmeal or any treats. The toe does not appear to be infected. I've been putting neosporin(without the pain stuff) on it. It looks like it's going to fall off. I've soaked her foot in epson salts in lukewarm water.

She is pooping, although it's not the normal more solid chicken poop. It's kind of runny. I don't know if she's eating when I'm not looking but it can't be much if she is. Should I give her drops of pedialyte something from a syringe. I don't know what to do. She's such a sweet chicken. Is it normal for her not to want to eat for a while. What can I give her for pain.

Thankyou!

 

[Judy]

A baby aspirin - hopefully she will eat it for you -- but I don't know how much it will help her with pain. The bad news is that gangrene could set in, at which point you couldn't do much but amputate or cull. Any chance you could take her to a vet? An amputation now just might save her.

Now it's perfectly possible she will eventually recover on her own. I certainly don't know.

BTW, it's fine to use Neosporin with the pain reliever. I've been trying to dispel this myth for a while now. Maybe it would help.

Explanation: What can easily be lethal to a chicken is the "caine" drugs such as benzocaine, lidocaine, cetacaine. etc. The pain reliever in Neosporin is pramoxine, a different class of drugs.

 

[tinychicky]

Quote:
that's really good to hear. i'd been using that stuff on my chickens for a while before i heard it was "lethal" to them.

michelle, the best thing to do is go to a vet. i'm not sure what the cost of an amputation or medication for her would be, but if your willing to pay for it, look for a vet who will treat chickens. otherwise, keep up what you're doing and hope for the best! good luck, i really hope your hen gets better

 

[michellelei1]

Thanks! Do I put a whole baby aspirin in her water? I don't want to overdose her. She did just try and walk around a bit for the first time since I brought her in. I feel so terrible for her. Our coop is heated but I think she may have stood in some snow for too long that was in their run. Should I give her an antibiotic?

I've tried calling some vets around here and none will treat a chicken.

 

[Judy]

You can put a whole baby aspirin in her. Or a whole adult one in the water. I really doubt an antibiotic will help, but you could try it, especially if you have one around.

Wish someone would amputate that toe for you.

 

[michellelei1]

Should I amputate the toe myself and how? Should I give it more time? I don't know if I could do it but if it will possibly save her, I'd suck it up and do it.

 

[darbella]

If someone cannot afford a vet for something like this, what is the thought of tying dental floss around the toe above the dead tissue and having it fall off after several days? Is that even possible? I know my mom used to do that with those skin tag moles people get, and even my doctor told me once to do it when I had one, but i was (pardon the pun) too chicken.

 

[tinychicky]

Quote:
i'm sorry

it's hard to find vets that will

the dental floss idea sounds like it would work, but try the aspirin first. i really hope she'll be okay!