Help for sore toe

[lisaCO]

Hi all-
This is my first post on this forum. I am a vet without much experience in poultry, but since there are no vets who will treat chickens around here, I have been asked to look at this laying hen with a sore foot. The family seems to think it started with an injury a couple of weeks ago. The hen is eating, drinking, not lame at all, still laying eggs and acting totally normal. As you can see, this toe looks pretty bad.

They texted me these pictures, and I wanted to ask for some feedback here before I head over there tomorrow. To me it looks pretty badly infected and needs to be treated as such, but I want to make sure I'm not missing anything. I have treated bumble foot before, but this looks different. You all seem pretty knowledgeable, so what do you think?
TIA!

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ps- please let me know if this posts multiple times in error so I can delete. My phone is not liking this site for some reason.

 

[paddock36]

What area are you in? That looks like some of the pictures of frostbite I have seen on here before.

 

[enola]

Yep looks just like frost bite to me, too. If they are willing to call for vet services, they will probably opt for amputation. If they don't let you amputate, of course they will have to "wait for her toe to fall off". Which the average family will be traumstized by....... (But, I am sure I really didn't have to tell you that.)

 

[lisaCO]

Thanks for the responses. I saw this hen today, and the toe is completely necrotic and dried out. The hen doesn't seem painful at all. I am pretty sure it did start from a traumatic injury since it hasn't really been cold enough here lately for frostbite. We talked about different options, and I am pretty convinced that the toe is going to fall off. They elected watchful waiting and have the hen inside the house for extra TLC and monitoring. I gave them topical and systemic antibiotics to use in case it goes south since I will be out of town.

 

[lea5ff]

Our baby chick had a toe like this and it fell off today. Unfortunately with it falling off it caused bleeding and the other chickens went after her. Luckily I heard not long after and was able to get her out but she's not looking good. Just laying in the box I made for her. Sleeping. Not interested in food or water.