Found my hen with a black toe.

[buddy18]

Went into the barn to check on my girls and saw my leghorn with a little blood on her chest. She actually let me pick her up and on one toe it looked like maybe she caught her toe. It was slightly swollen and dark and the nail looked damaged. She's walking on it but very slowly. She's eating and doesn't seem in pain. Cleaned it, sprayed vetericyn and covered it with equaide. Cleaned it again today and it's still dark about a inch above the nail and the nail is dark. Doesn't look infected. Will she loose the nail and do I need to do anything more than keep it cleaned and keep spraying it with Vetericyn? I don't know much about chickens, this flock made our barn their home.

 

[Cacique500]

Two of mine have completely lost a toenail each at different times (complete toenail). Lots of blood both times, but got it stopped with styptic powder. Blukote then neosporin, then wrapped (wrapping didn't last long). It took about 6 months for the nails to grow back.

Not sure on the "black" part of your description...dried blood, dirt, ? Pics might help others diagnose...

 

[buddy18]

Not sure why its black, cleaned it so it isn't dirt or blood. Was hoping it was the dried equaide, it's black but if it was it should have wiped off but then a chickens foot is a lot different then my dogs or horses. Have to catch her again which she now knows my moves Will take a picture when I catch her again. How long did it take for the nail to come off or did they get ripped out?

 

[Cacique500]

Both of mine had them ripped off on a wire table they like to jump up on. Have it fixed now but it happened in the blink of an eye.

 

[buddy18]

This is what it looks like.

 

[Lyndssxo08]

Hi! What did you find out? I have a poult that has the same issue!

 

[micstrachan]

It almost looks like it’s burnt. Is that a possibility?

 

[buddy18]

Hi! What did you find out? I have a poult that has the same issue!

Sorry so late to answer, for some reason I'm not getting notifications. I ended up soaking it in water and Epsom salts and using spraying vetericyn. It eventually healed. I think now it was a bruise, maybe caught it in something. Now I have had her hurt by one of my roosters, took her to the vet, she couldn't put weight on her leg. Didn't end up broken. He is big and she is tiny. She is now sleeping in the house and we made a coupe for her. I don't know if we will be able to let her back to the flock, the rooster has a grudge against her. Plus we have a second one who is stressing every one out, need to get rid of them but they are free range and really fast.

 

[rebrascora]

Plus we have a second one who is stressing every one out, need to get rid of them but they are free range and really fast

Are you saying you have more than one rooster? By far the easiest way to catch any chicken is at night whilst they are roosting. It sounds like you may have a young rooster (a cockerel). They tend to be a pain as they are at the whim of their raging hormones and often terrorise the girls. Penning such young males away from the hens at least until their hormones subside, is a good idea if you do not plan to rehome or butcher them. The stress they cause to a flock can put the girls at risk not only of injury but also suppress their immune systems and leave them vulnerable to viral outbreaks. A lame chicken is always a cause for concern because it is often an indication of Marek's disease which is caused by a Herpes virus but is usually triggered by stress and adolescent males running riot are one of the prime triggers in my experience. I hope you are able to get to their roosting spot and remove the trouble makers from the flock.

 

[Lyndssxo08]

Sorry so late to answer, for some reason I'm not getting notifications. I ended up soaking it in water and Epsom salts and using spraying vetericyn. It eventually healed. I think now it was a bruise, maybe caught it in something. Now I have had her hurt by one of my roosters, took her to the vet, she couldn't put weight on her leg. Didn't end up broken. He is big and she is tiny. She is now sleeping in the house and we made a coupe for her. I don't know if we will be able to let her back to the flock, the rooster has a grudge against her. Plus we have a second one who is stressing every one out, need to get rid of them but they are free range and really fast.

Poor thing I hope she’s doing better! Glad it healed