Hen’s toe almost cut off

[Disheygirl]

I went to the coop to make sure everybody was in, and found one of my girls on the roost with a big pool of blood under her, holding her leg up, and blood on her stomach. It was all from her toe but it was a lot. Got her inside and put her in a Epsom salt bath - the picture isn’t great and doesn’t do it justice - it’s basically sliced almost all the way through from the back. Who knows how it happened - I didn’t hear or see any craziness out there today.

Rinsed with hibeclens (sp), slathered neosporin, and wrapped her foot and the toe in gauze and vet wrap. Firm but not too tight.

I had leftover Meloxicam from one of my rabbits and gave her some in yogurt. I don’t have much more than another dose left though. Any other pain killer I could give her when the Meloxicam runs out? My dog had cervical spine surgery recently and I have all sorts of leftovers from him - Gabapentin, methocarbamol, amantadine, carprofin…I can use Google but if anyone has experience with these, let me know please?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Don't give pain killers. Just keep it clean and dry

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Rinsed with hibeclens (sp), slathered neosporin, and wrapped her foot and the toe in gauze and vet wrap. Firm but not too tight.

I agree with @JacinLarkwell no pain killers.

You are on the right track of taking care of the foot by applying your ointment and wrapping the foot. Keep her on clean dry bedding and check the foot daily, reapplying a very light coat of ointment and/or swabbing with hibiclens, then rewrapping.

Chickens can get injured on numerous things, it may be worth investigating to see if you can figure out what she cut her foot on. Maybe a staple or piece of wire, etc. I've found that every once in a while, I need to hammer down staples that work their way out of wood and wire/fencing can come loose.

 

[Disheygirl]

I re-wrapped it today and it looked Ok - not infected or bleeding. This is the second chicken I’ve had who hurt her toe - the first was about a month ago. The first one was an obvious break but no cut. I’ve combed the coop and run and can’t find a thing - not even a drop of blood at the scene of the crime. Looks like a bloodbath on the roost where I found her but nothing anywhere else. The two who hurt themselves don’t roost together, and my roosts are just plain 2x4s - no nails or places to catch a toe.

I’ve been wanting to put cameras out there...maybe this is the sign. Also, you never think your phone is a POS until you’re trying to take a closeup of a wiggly bird foot and it just won’t focus.

 

[tlcmurphy]

You have excellent wrapping skills! I hope your girl will be OK

 

[SmiYa0126]

Nice job! You gave me an idea on how to wrap my hens toe! I hope she makes a full recovery.

Also that you find what's causing this injury . Is there a lip on something they can get cut on if they're running away from a bully? Can you post pictures of your run?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I re-wrapped it today and it looked Ok - not infected or bleeding. This is the second chicken I’ve had who hurt her toe - the first was about a month ago. The first one was an obvious break but no cut. I’ve combed the coop and run and can’t find a thing - not even a drop of blood at the scene of the crime. Looks like a bloodbath on the roost where I found her but nothing anywhere else. The two who hurt themselves don’t roost together, and my roosts are just plain 2x4s - no nails or places to catch a toe.

I’ve been wanting to put cameras out there...maybe this is the sign. Also, you never think your phone is a POS until you’re trying to take a closeup of a wiggly bird foot and it just won’t focus.

Keep up the good work.

Sometimes you may not find the cause of these types of injuries. I've had hens with missing and bleeding toenails, cuts on combs, etc. They can bump/run into things or scrape themselves just like we do.

 

[Disheygirl]

Nice job! You gave me an idea on how to wrap my hens toe! I hope she makes a full recovery.

Also that you find what's causing this injury . Is there a lip on something they can get cut on if they're running away from a bully? Can you post pictures of your run?

She’s high on the pecking order and they’re a pretty drama-free group. The only bully I really had went to live with another flock a few months ago.

Here’s some pictures. I started with three and now have 12 so it’s a hodgepodge of a setup. Everything except the green run (inside the electric fence) is wrapped in 24” of HW cloth. No sharp edges or gaps that I can find. Zero blood (except on the roost).

They sleep in the bigger coop - the small one with the hen laying is really only used for water and nest boxes. Although I am lucky to get two eggs a day right now…the hurt girl is on winter break, so I doubt it happened in there.

 

[Disheygirl]

Keep up the good work.

Sometimes you may not find the cause of these types of injuries. I've had hens with missing and bleeding toenails, cuts on combs, etc. They can bump/run into things or scrape themselves just like we do.

I guess it’s good that they’re pretty fast healers! I cleaned and wrapped it again today and it looks more swollen - should I give her an antibiotic? I have a bunch - fish mox being the most generic but I can name others if it looks like it’s infected.

(Ignore my NYE nail polish - probably time to take that off. )

 

[SmiYa0126]

Your pup is so cute! Nice set up!

I would give her fish mix for five days. I agree it looks inflamed. Does it feel hot?