Help please, 6 day old Sebright got his foot stuck in the feather duster. I was able to cut him free (and I removed the duster) but his foot is really swollen. He is limping on it. Is there anything I can do for him?
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Thank you! He is walking around on it and not lethargic. Peeping a lot. I have soaked his foot twice in Epsom salt water in a pill bottle. I will try the cortisone. The other chicks don’t seem to be bothering him. He was the first chick to hatch and the only Sebright and he held his own. There are four Silkies and five mixed standard size chicks with him.Chick feet are every bit as delicate as the rest of them. Any irritation or injury will make the tissue swell. You can help relieve the swelling and pain with a tiny dab of hydrocortisone cream smoothed onto the injury. Don't leave any excess for the chicks to eat off the foot, though. If the other chicks peck at the injury, you will need to protect this chick from that danger. If you can do it while still leaving the chick in proximity to the others, it's better for the chick than to be isolated away from them.
That isn't all. An injury such as a foot injury can immobilize a chick and it may not drink or eat. It will quickly dehydrate and weaken if that's the case. If you see the chick is remaining in one spot and not moving freely about, you will need to hand feed it and help it drink until the pain is reduced enough to where it will feel like being active.
If this has already happened and the chick is weak and lethargic, it can be revived with warm sugar water and Nutri-drench.