Frostbitten Cochin pullet-please help!!!

[FrizzleFreak]

About a week ago, my Bantam Partridge Cochin Pullet went exploring when it was icy, snowy, and cold. When I found her, her poor little feet were balls of ice. I rinsed them in warm water and dried them, then put her back out (in a nice warm coop and a lot of hay.) She hadn''t been moving much, but I thought she was just broody. She has frostbite on her toes. They are brittle and black. Is there anything that we can do for her? Lacy is a pet and was a possible showbird, but I realize there is no hope of that now. Please help save my chicken!
P.S. we have coated her feet with antibiotic. she is in a nice warm place with lots of bedding.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

I think you've done all you can do. Keep her feet clean and the antibiotic ointment on them and keep her warm. She may lose a piece of her toes, but with luck, she'll still be able to walk and have an enjoyable life. Good luck...

 

[FrizzleFreak]

thank you. she is still much the same.

 

[jhm47]

She will eventually lose her toes. There is nothing you can do for her at this stage. The frostbite will not spread, and you won't have to worry about her getting an infection. I have had several birds that had frostbite, lost toes, and they did just fine. It just takes time. Good luck!

 

[SpottedCrow]

If her toes are black, they're gonna come off...there's no circulation there. That happened with my hen Slifer's comb points.

 

[FrizzleFreak]

Thanks everybody!

I'm so happy I"m almost crying! SHE IS WALKING!! Her toes are still attached though; will she still be able to walk when they fall off?

 

[AK-Bird-brain]

Quote:
I would guess it depends on the severity of the loss.
We have a bantum silver seabrite that lost all but one toe to the first joint. She walks fine, holds her own with the big girls she just can't roost on anything round (no grip). We swapped all of our roosts to 2x4's on their side so none of the birds have to grip instead they get to sit. this way they can tuck their feet up underneath themselves which also helps them keep their feet warm at night.

 

[FrizzleFreak]

I would guess it depends on the severity of the loss.

As far as I can tell, she will lose all of her toes (excepting the two in back) to the foot pad. She doesn't seem to be using the dead toes much though...
She lost her first toe today. Most of it anyway The bone, the toenail, and the skin on top of the toe is gone, but there is a layer of seemingly alive skin left, that is in the shape of a tube with the top cut off.

Her feet used to be bright yellow, so i can see live skin, and there's still some on the dead toes? there are also some red spots (too upset to look really close earlier). Is this just dead skin that hasn't changed color yet?'<sorry for all the questions>​

 

[Mrs MIA]

She may still do very well with just the pads of her feet, but you might have to make roost-modifications to accomodate her new disability. The new skin will be pink, sometimes mottled, but very susceptible to the cold still. You may want to keep her separate in a clean environment until all her toes fall off and heal over. Our little Penelope No-Toes still looks uncomfortable at the really cold temps, and tends to protect her toes a lot more now. Keep her relatively warm, dry and clean, and she should heal ok and still be able to function.

Finding frostbite unexpectedly is never fun... good luck with your little girl.

 

[silkiechicken]

There are cases of toeless chickens due to frost bite that have been able to get around. I remember reading one case of frost bite so bad all that was left were leg stumps. To help with abraision, I want to say rubber leg plastic cup things were put over the stubs during the day so he could walk.

May be kind of icky, but if you have and can post progression pics of the damage and the recovery, it may be helpful to those in the future in similar situations.

Good luck!