Frostbite damage to feet or bumble foot? Pics.

[justduckyinVT]

Several of my ducks have sustained what I believe is frostbite damage to their feet. This is my first winter with them and I didn't know to keep the ground covered in hay until it was too late I fear. The lone toe (very swollen)on several feet look something like this brown (khaki) foot. The orange one is my crested male. Everything but this lone toe looks great. Please if anyone has suggestions on how to treat this please let me know. I have no other place to keep them other than the poop/ice/hay/ice/poop/hay layered pen.

 

[Amiga]

The second picture looks like bumble foot. You are probably right, that their feet are getting too cold, perhaps cut some on ice, and that's letting infection in.

You say you only have their pen. Do they have a shelter? Keep piling hay or straw on the snow. Perhaps you can, on milder days, get some of the icy much out of there and replace with a generous layer of bedding. It makes a big difference.

Also, wipe their feet and apply triple antibiotic ointment daily. It's a pain in your neck, but it could save their lives.