Help!!! Chick with swollen feet, toe falling off, ITS NOT FROSTBITE!

[ShelbyCoral]

I have a lavender olive egger chick who toes are falling off! 3 Weeks ago her feet swelled up and she cant walk on them like normal! Her feet are so swollen she cant move her toes! I have been looking all over the internet for this! It happened when we put her and her friend on hay outside. Of the 8, 2 of them had this. The one died, and this one lived. She has been inside the house with my adult silkies and getting along great! But her finger (toe) is going black and falling off! She does have pus in her feet all over! She has pus coming out all over her feet! I don't want to loose her!

 

[nab58]

Can you take some pictures of her feet so we can get an idea of what they look like?

 

[ShelbyCoral]

The only camera i have is my phone and its broken. I have to take it to verizon tomorrow. But its not bumble foot and it is not leg mites and its not frost bite.

 

[ShelbyCoral]

Ill try and find my other camera... i forgot i had that one.

 

[ShelbyCoral]

 

[Bocktobery 10]

..... It happened when we put her and her friend on hay outside. Of the 8, 2 of them had this. The one died, and this one lived. .....

Could you explain more about the hay, what was underneath it and why you were putting them on the hay? Do you think this injury is related to the hay? Where did you get the hay from? Could it have been treated with something? .. Just some questions since I'm not sure about the why of this.

How soon did the other one die after you noticed the swollen feet in both of these hens?

So you say that your hen's feet are no longer swollen but that the toes are dying and falling off?

Just by observation, and this may be obvious, but it looks like gangrene to me. The swelling might have been a reaction to infection? I don't really see any pus in your photos that you provided. Can you get some antibiotics for your chickens? It seems to me that if it is gangrene, you may need to have some amputation done. Does it smell very bad?

When you had them on this hay, did you notice anything with them, like, were they reluctant to put their feet down, or hold them up in the air hovering over the ground?

Sorry for all the questions.. just trying to make things more clear. My advice would be to get them to a vet as soon as possible and have them look at it. I think they would be able to treat this.

 

[Bocktobery 10]

possible snake bite?

 

[ShelbyCoral]

Could you explain more about the hay, what was underneath it and why you were putting them on the hay? Do you think this injury is related to the hay? Where did you get the hay from? Could it have been treated with something? .. Just some questions since I'm not sure about the why of this.

How soon did the other one die after you noticed the swollen feet in both of these hens?

So you say that your hen's feet are no longer swollen but that the toes are dying and falling off?

Just by observation, and this may be obvious, but it looks like gangrene to me. The swelling might have been a reaction to infection? I don't really see any pus in your photos that you provided. Can you get some antibiotics for your chickens? It seems to me that if it is gangrene, you may need to have some amputation done. Does it smell very bad?

When you had them on this hay, did you notice anything with them, like, were they reluctant to put their feet down, or hold them up in the air hovering over the ground?

Sorry for all the questions.. just trying to make things more clear. My advice would be to get them to a vet as soon as possible and have them look at it. I think they would be able to treat this.

They were always in a aquarium with fine saw dust, they were getting too big for this tank so I took them outside to my large aquarium which had straw bedding in it (I meant Straw) from my broody hen. Well, my broody hen lost all her eggs because she packed up and left! She didnt go back to her eggs... so I stuck these guys in there. After I saw their legs I immediatly changed the bedding to saw dust (not fine). None of the other chicks had any problems!

The other one died 2 days after I found out about it and yes, both had the same symptoms. BTW they are chicks, not hens.

The feet are still swollen and are falling off.

It doesnt smell bad at all! Besides the poop...

I didnt notice anything... I only noticed the one was stay still on its side not going to get water. (When I refilled the water)

I cant afford a vet at the moment.

 

[ShelbyCoral]

No snake where I live right now. If they were out, they would be dead. The weather was -20, but the chicks have a heat lamp with them and a lid over the tank. They are warm.

 

[Bocktobery 10]

No snake where I live right now. If they were out, they would be dead. The weather was -20, but the chicks have a heat lamp with them and a lid over the tank. They are warm.I

I forgot to look at your avatar- I apologize, my mistake. Some posters are in the southern hemisphere and are having summer to fall weather.

If you can't afford the vet, I'd say your best bet would be to go to a Tractor Supply or other farm/livestock store and get some antibiotics. I'm not sure which one- maybe someone here can chime in with that. Perhaps maybe you could soak the feet in something- benedine (Iodine solution) water? Epsom salts soak might help too. You get some epsom salts, and some warm water and just have the chick stand in it for about 20 minutes twice a day. Discard the water after one use and start afresh for the next soak.

I'd first like to figure out what has caused this... I've done a lot of reading on chick/chicken health, but I don't remember anything like this mentioned.. I will go and take a look at my books again. My thoughts are that if you have two that had it, I would almost guess that it is something in their environment that caused it, something that their feet touch. Where did you get your sawdust? Could the floor be getting too hot ?

Sorry, I sound like a moron asking all these questions, but I don't know the situation and can't see it first hand.