Crushed chicken toe- help!

[Cowboychickenkai]

So my sister's boyfriend decided to do me a favor last night and put the chickens away. He somehow unknowingly crushed one of my hens toes in the door of their roosting area all night. I found her this morning, obviously hurting with a swollen middle toe.

She has some broken skin and swelling and a redder face than usual. She is eating and drinking but seems VERY subdued and hasn't moved from her tub in my kitchen where I put her this morning.

She's got access to food and water and clean shavings, but what should a treatment plan look like? I've disinfected and put on some antibiotic ointment to the broken skin, but I don't know if it's broken or how long to keep her separate from the flock.

She's about 3.5 months old

Thank you in advance!

 

[MysteryChicken]

If not broken, then it may just be fractured. Could always get some Birdy Booties, & use them as away to stabilize ther toe so it can heal better.
Birdy Booties are sold on Amazon.

 

[Themellowyellows]

Maybe try ice and birdie boots?

 

[WingItRanch]

This exact same thing happened to me but I accidently closed my poor pullets leg in the door. I was devastating. Thought she was going to be crippled for life. She was limping for a day and I could see the mark and some swelling. Then... it was like it never happened! She was just running around fine after only a day.

They're more resilient than we think. As long as she's not getting picked on by the others and she doesn't have an infection, she'll recover!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

He somehow unknowingly crushed one of my hens toes in the door of their roosting area all night. I found her this morning, obviously hurting with a swollen middle toe.

She has some broken skin and swelling

I've disinfected and put on some antibiotic ointment to the broken skin, but I don't know if it's broken or how long to keep her separate from the flock.

She's subdued likely because of shock and being hung up/caught all night long and in pain.

Work her through shock by giving electrolytes or sugar water (1tsp sugar to 1cup water).

Hopefully the swelling will go down in a day or two so you can better access the foot. The skin being broken is a bit of concern, do be sure to keep it cleaned and ointment on the wound. You could wrap the foot, but it needs to be checked religiously and changed out daily especially since there's swelling, wrapping can cut off circulation when there's so much swelling.

Depending on the damage she may heal over just fine. It's possible that she may lose the toe, time will tell. Chickens are resilient and can heal from a lot of different injuries if they are cared for. If she does lose the toe, she will adapt.

She's young, so you may want to take her out daily and place her in a cage within the run so she can be near her friends, it may help ease re-integration.

 

[Cowboychickenkai]

She's subdued likely because of shock and being hung up/caught all night long and in pain.

Work her through shock by giving electrolytes or sugar water (1tsp sugar to 1cup water).

Hopefully the swelling will go down in a day or two so you can better access the foot. The skin being broken is a bit of concern, do be sure to keep it cleaned and ointment on the wound. You could wrap the foot, but it needs to be checked religiously and changed out daily especially since there's swelling, wrapping can cut off circulation when there's so much swelling.

Depending on the damage she may heal over just fine. It's possible that she may lose the toe, time will tell. Chickens are resilient and can heal from a lot of different injuries if they are cared for. If she does lose the toe, she will adapt.

She's young, so you may want to take her out daily and place her in a cage within the run so she can be near her friends, it may help ease re-integration.

Thank you, this advice is super helpful and reassuring. I'll get a look at the foot tomorrow and see how some outside time near the coop feels depending on that!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you, this advice is super helpful and reassuring. I'll get a look at the foot tomorrow and see how some outside time near the coop feels depending on that!

Keep us posted on how she's doing.

 

[Cowboychickenkai]

Keep us posted on how she's doing.

She's actually out today in a temp pen near the coop! She's tender with the foot but definitely mobile. Definitely happy to be outside and near the others

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She's actually out today in a temp pen near the coop! She's tender with the foot but definitely mobile. Definitely happy to be outside and near the others

That's good!