Chicken's foot is nothing like I've seen on the internet. Ideas?

[Smserzy]

Okay, so I have this friend who has a couple Barred Rock hens. They are about 2 years old. When they were about months old, they were attacked in a chicken coop by rats. One died. One sustained some injuries (but is fine now) but Maggie May was attacked bad. He said you could see the bone in the front of the leg. He' s 70. So he doesn't remember exactly where it was showing. My boyfriend took it in a dark room and held a light to it and went down it. Right before the foot is a big blank spot where the bone runs. Her foot is so swollen up. It's not discolored. This has been a year and a half since the accident. Its Middle toe has always been pretty big. But it's gigantic now. And usually the only sign of it bothering her was standing on the other leg a little bit every once in awhile. Now she's constantly limping. The problem with a vet is this guy gets a monthly check that he already barely survives on. His chickens and dog are pretty much the only ones he has... And I don't know if the vet could even do anything about it now. Please, what does it look like? Broken foot? Infection? Maybe it's an infection that's getting worse? Maybe I could give her some antibiotics? I can't stand seeing her like this. I apologize for the (what I call) graphic pictures.

 

[azygous]

It could be avian gout, but the appearance of the swollen tissue isn't really granular enough. More likely, the swelling is an immune response to an injury at the end of the toe, walling off the affected tissue by swelling and cutting off circulation in preparation for the body to eject it.

You can try treating it by frequent soaks in Epsom salt to help restore circulation. You might also use baby aspirin as a treatment for the swelling, inflammation and pain. It can be given one whole tablet twice a day.