chicken's toe ripped (almost) off.

[wheaty44]

We found one of our chickens wandering around with half of it's toe cut completely through the bottom and hanging on by some skin/tendons on the top. Stopped the bleeding, rinsed dirt off, bandaged it. On the second day we looked and the end has gone mostly black--we think it will fall off? We are treating it with neosporin and an antibiotical soak everyday and then bandaging it. She is by herself with lots of hay, food and water in an enclosed area where predators cant get to her and where it is cleaner. She is completely perky, flying up onto chairs and tables, eating and drinking alot. However she does have diarrhea from the infection thats probably started. Her injured foot is warm but not hot and it cools down to normal temp. after we soak it. So, here are the questions:

-Any anitbiotics that we can give her orally?
- How long should it be wrapped for...should we leave it open?
- Signs to watch for if the infection gets worse, symptoms.

Ps...It does seem to hurt when I wrap around the toe, squeeze it, dap it with cotton swabs. She only flinches or squawks when I touch right on the area where it has been cut leading me to believe that she cant feel the end that has been more or less severed. And she walks on it and lands on it after flying, but when she is just standing she keeps her foot off the ground.

 

[jenjscott]

You should get a sharp pair of scissors and snip off the end of the toe. If it is turning black, it has no circulation, and leaving it on is just inviting infection. The rest of the toe should heal. Why do you think it is infected? Infection is going to be very hot to touch with redness and swelling, possible discharge. Chickens have amazing powers of healing and usually do well with minimal intervention.

 

[purpletree23]

If you do decide to cut off the toe make sure you have blood stop powder on hand. You could also apply pressure or if necessary (emergency) you can heat up a thick wire or small piece of metal and quickly touch it to the bleeding tissue to cauterize it.

Because you explain that she flinches when you touch the cut end you could wait to see if more tissue will die first so there is less trauma to the hen when you do amputate.