Chick's Toenail Came Off! Will it grow back?

[CaramelKittey]

Is it better for them to run around or should they stay somewhat still in their brooder box?

 

[CaramelKittey]

Here’s some pictures of the Sebright after we soaked her feet.

 

[someusername]

It's like human toenails. They probably grow back after a while, since the cells are still there. Nails are protein, not cells.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Toenail may or may not grow back depending on if the base of the nail was ripped out.

Need to soak and gently scrub those feet. Those "mud balls" really need to come off but they're like cement.

 

[Rainwing]

One of my hens lost a toenail at some point. I don't know how, but it never grew back, so the base was probably gone too. She seemed alright with it, still scratched in the dirt, ran the fastest, and lived well beyond her prime. I wouldn't worry too much if the toenail doesn't grow back. Maybe there's a chance for infection, but I've never had that happen with my own chicken foot problems as long as you keep them clean and keep maintenance up before things get serious.

I would use an old toothbrush to scrub gently and some warm water to soak the mud in. But I would be careful because it's a chick, and getting wet + cold air can make it cold, so don't submerge beyond the toes. Silver Sebrights were one of my dream chickens, I hope it does well!

 

[Fluffyflufffluff]

Hi all! I recently got a Silver Sebright Bantam chick (with 3 others of different breeds) and I noticed she had some weird droppings stuck around her toenails. Just her toenails. The droppings were normal except they were hard. I wanted to get them off so she could walk and I think a toenail came off with it! I feel so awful because it made her bleed and I didn't know what to do. The bleeding stopped and it was small but I don't know how to get the rest of the droppings off to help her out. Maybe a wet cloth?
I was hoping to use her for show and I'm worried the toenail might not grow back. Do toenails grow back and if so what are the chances of it never growing back? Thanks in advance!

Unlike humans, however, chickens will also keep their own toenails clipped back by scratching the ground when they are searching for something to eat. ... But when the chicken doesn't have hard surfaces to scratch, the nails keep rising. If the nails grow long enough to curl, the chicken would not be able to walk properly.

 

[CaramelKittey]

Thank you all! They are doing much better today and we hope to get the rest of the mud off their feet. It was so strange since their brooder wasn't that dirty but I suppose it can still happen.
Thanks all for the advice!

 

[CaramelKittey]

Oops. Forgot to update sooner.
The baby chicks are all doing super well. I still can’t tell if the baby chick’s toenail is totally gone or not. I think a tiny bit of it is still there, so I’m really hoping she recovers. Thanks so much everybody for all your help!