Frozen feet... please help!

[kaydeetee86]

It’s Day 3 of single digits in good ol Kansas right now. When I went to put my birds to bed this evening, one of my RIR’s feet were frozen solid. The left one could move a little bit, the right one was completely frozen.

She’s been inside about an hour and a half now. Her feet are starting to be able to bend again. She can put weight on them, but I’m not letting her right now. I’ve got her wrapped up in a towel on my lap.

I made her a little bit of oatmeal with cayenne pepper & cinnamon to help with circulation. We ground up a baby aspirin and put that in her water with some electrolyte powder. She is eating and drinking like normal. Her feet are warming.

The most important question is what can I do for her? Will soaking her feet help or make things worse? She’s going to be hanging out in the chickie infirmary (...also known as the shower in the spare bathroom) until the weather improves.

We’ve tried SO hard to keep moisture out of the coop and run, for this exact reason. I don’t know what happened. The rest of the flock seems to be doing okay.

I attached photos. I think the blue on her left foot is Blu-Kote, and not her skin.

 

[mommiesrcool]

Put her feet in slightly warm water, for her combs and wattles use a washcloth soaked in warm water and very gently hold against it. Keep her in the house for the night and maybe for a few more nights. If you have any Save-A-Chick or electrolytes put that in her water.

Do NOT try to remove the dead skin or any blisters because it'll make it worse. Make sure she is eating and drinking. Please Please Please do NOT try to "thaw" out the area with a heat lamp or blow dryer, don't massage her comb either.

***When I say warm water I mean not Hot and not cold water so lukewarm**

 

[Wyorp Rock]

What type of water station do you use?
She may have walked in the water dish and got her feet wet.

 

[kaydeetee86]

Put her feet in slightly warm water, for her combs and wattles use a washcloth soaked in warm water and very gently hold against it. Keep her in the house for the night and maybe for a few more nights. If you have any Save-A-Chick or electrolytes put that in her water.

Do NOT try to remove the dead skin or any blisters because it'll make it worse. Make sure she is eating and drinking. Please Please Please do NOT try to "thaw" out the area with a heat lamp or blow dryer, don't massage her comb either.

***When I say warm water I mean not Hot and not cold water so lukewarm**

Thank you.

I’ve got Save-A-Chick in her water, along with one baby aspirin ground up. It’s a gallon waterer.

Her feet are warm to the touch again after some cuddles on the couch. She’s putting herself to bed so I might hold off on the soak right now.

She’s eating and drinking like normal. You wouldn’t know anything was wrong with her.

I had applied a little Vaseline to her comb before I realized anything was wrong. But I’m not massaging it. It’s warm to the touch again too.

I just want her to be okay. She’s my little buddy.

 

[kaydeetee86]

Please update me in the morning!!!

I will. Thank you so much!

 

[kaydeetee86]

And one more pic of her enjoying spa time. She’s up and around. She made a few laps around the living room, and laid an egg by our wood burning stove.

 

[kaydeetee86]

This will probably be my final update, unless I figure out how to make a prosthetic foot. (I’m going to try!)

Alpha is doing amazing, considering all that she’s been though. She’s lost both toes, and the tip of the other one. The swelling/deformity hasn’t changed at all. It looks like it’s going to be permanent.

She’s doing pretty well getting around. I almost panicked the other day because I couldn’t find her when I went to open up the coop. She was not only on a roosting bar instead of a nesting box, but she was on the top roosting bar! I’m really proud of my little bird. (I still need to switch out the roosting bars.)

Thank you guys so much for the support, and getting me through a really scary time.

Updated photos of her foot, then a few more just because she’s cute. She likes looking at the chicken in the phone.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your chicken. Her middle toe on her left foot looks like it could eventually fall off. It is important to gradually thaw out the feet in lukewrm water right away. The comb may become rounded off. It is better to not apply vaseline or creams that might freeze. Here is some good reading on frostbite:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/frostbit-in-backyard-chickens-causes/

https://www.cacklehatchery.com/how-to-recognize-and-treat-frostbite-in-chickens/

 

[rebeccaH86]

Oh goodness poor baby , I hope all goes good for her , just wanted to share something I seen the other day , not to sure how practical these would be .

 

[kaydeetee86]

Oh goodness poor baby , I hope all goes good for her , just wanted to share something I seen the other day , not to sure how practical these would be .View attachment 2524219

She might tolerate them, actually. I’ll take a look at those, thank you!