hen claw is bleeding :(

[Terrie Mac]

my RIR has a bleeding claw at the tip and she is favoring it, standing on one leg. Should I remove her, there's no way it will stay clean in the run. I'm not sure how she did it but there are many things she could have got hung up on. I put something wood lathing down in the sand run because it was wet, maybe that caused it.

 

[CrestedGirl]

Try putting her claw in some flour, that should stop the bleeding

 

[AV Brahmas]

She will be fine. Really. Check her tomorrow and she will probably act completely normal

 

[Terrie Mac]

Thank you. I put a towel over her and my husband treated the claw with cornstarch. Found a large splinter and pulled it out. Hopefully it won't get infected. Is there any use of cleaning it? I clean the coop everyday but no way is it sanitary.

Also treated her to a bunch of mealworms

 

[CrestedGirl]

Have you already washed it with Hydrogen peroxide?

 

[Terrie Mac]

No. But I will. I'm setting up the playpen in the house so the wound will stay clean for a just a bit. She's a complainer so doubt if we will be able to tolerate her hollering for too long. Maybe I slip her in on the roost when the sun goes down.

 

[Terrie Mac]

A couple of times I soaked the claw for a few seconds in peroxide and then dipped it in cornstarch (sounds like a recipe

She is still slightly (?) bleeding and totally unlike herself -- quiet and panting in the corner of the pen. I read on this forum that I should put a docile hen in with her because they are social creatures, so I did. It doesn't phase the injured hen who is normally quite unsocial anyway.
I'm wondering if it's best to just let her be by herself. If it were me that's what I would want.

Also, is there anything else I can do for my little hen who faithfully has been giving us eggs daily since she started laying last week?

 

[AV Brahmas]

Honestly. Put her back where she lives and leave her alone. The panting and quiet is a sign of excessive stress and it is actually possible to make her sick that way. I understand you are a caring person and want to help but this is not likely to be life threatening unless you make it so.

 

[Terrie Mac]

Quote:
I can tell by the tone of your response that I've been found out. I'm new to raising chickens and treat them like any of my pets. I've even been accused of spoiling!

She is no longer stressed where she is recouping in my office. She's eating and drinking and talking to me - but she will not walk on the injured foot. It wouldn't be right to put her back in the coop/run just yet. It's a small raised coop - 3 ft off the ground. She can't use the ramp, she can't use the run, she can't roost, and she can't defend herself. I'd say she is more stressed in her home than in mine at this point.

But thanks for taking the time to respond

 

[AV Brahmas]

Not a problem but it is a concern she cannot walk. When you said her claw is bleeding I think toenail. Did you mean "foot"? whereabouts was the splinter? Where did you pull it from and was it metal or wood? Very puzzling. I have seen birds with broken legs sitting on the roost at night. Hope it takes care of itself soon.