Fernwehh

In the Brooder
Sep 29, 2021
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So some backstory. My blue wheaten ameraucana chickens name is Gimble. Gimble has curly toe paralysis. We live in Northern BC. It's actually been super mild so far, with temps right at freezing. So my girls have been moulting for a good month and a half while Gimble just started about a week ago.
Around three weeks ago I had her indoors for a five day period, treating her and my bielfelder for vent gleet with acv, monistat, and warm baths in Epsom salts every other day. They looked better so I put them back outside.
She stopped laying shortly after but I assumed she was just going through her molt, because her beard and neck was looking a little rough. So a few days ago I noticed she wasn't out with the others. I went and picked her up after a few days and saw the bottom of her feet were black with frostbite. Pictures included. While giving her a warm epsom bath, I noticed a sore on her stomach as well. I suspect that because the pads of her feet are not the parts in contact with the cold ground and wood, maybe that's why she has these sores? Our bedding is clean and we use straw in our run, so I know it's not like an ammonia burn. It just hasn't even been that cold. We get -40 up here. I'm worried. She's got a bit of a funk to her that isn't like the leaky vent smell so my kind goes to infection.
I don't want a chicken in my house all damn winter - I am due to have my third child in a little bit. I mean I will do what I need to but that doesn't sound like a fun time for her either. It gets cold November to April here.
What do I do to help her? Do I cull at this point to prevent further damage? What even caused this? Thanks in advance for your guys' help.

Adding photos! Sorry I forgot
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I agree with culling. Taking everything into consideration that you laid out, this hen would require a lot of wound care and supportive care, and you have your hands full as it is. With her disabilities, even if she managed to heal, she's only going to be at high risk for this same thing to happen again with those poor feet of hers.

Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do.
 
I agree with culling. Taking everything into consideration that you laid out, this hen would require a lot of wound care and supportive care, and you have your hands full as it is. With her disabilities, even if she managed to heal, she's only going to be at high risk for this same thing to happen again with those poor feet of hers.

Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do.
Thank you a bunch for your input. Of course the one we loved most and only one we named is the one who's going to be my first cull. 😧
 
I agree with culling. Taking everything into consideration that you laid out, this hen would require a lot of wound care and supportive care, and you have your hands full as it is. With her disabilities, even if she managed to heal, she's only going to be at high risk for this same thing to happen again with those poor feet of hers.

Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do.

@Fernwehh I'm very sorry about your hen, but I agree with culling too.
Not an easy thing to do when the hen is a favorite. :hugs
 

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