Hen with broken toe...?

[baGAWK123]

For the past week my hen has been sitting down in the middle of the coop floor (she is a weird chicken, so I just ignored it). She was eating and drinking fine, until about 3 days ago. This morning she just sat on the coop latter not moving, and just letting all the other chickens trample over her- -she later moved into the coop (although I don't know how, because she can't walk). I was very concerned because this is my first time raising chickens and I expected the worst. I went into the coop rolled her body over, and it appears that her toe is broken. It was bent with the nail facing downward. Another way I could describe is that its shape similar to a lower case "n". It's clear that she I in pain. I would really appreciate responses because I don't know what to do. Is there a procedure I can perform at home? Or must she be taken to the vet. Thanks in advance!

 

[CMV]

Splint it up by putting a cardboard/stiff plastic (cut into a V shape to match the natural shape of a bird's foot) boot on the bottom of her foot with tape on the top. She'll walk oddly until she gets used to it, but it should fix the toe and help with the pain. An unstable fracture is excruciating especially if she's walking on it.

Good luck.

 

[baGAWK123]

Thank you! Is it something that can heal, naturally with the boot?

 

[CMV]

Sure. She should be fine. The worst case scenario is that her toe has a damaged blood supply from the fracture, and it dies and falls off. That is fine, too. She will mange quite well without it.

 

[baGAWK123]

Took her to the vet....not quite the response I was looking for. No broken foot/toe but she could have a disc injury in her back (from a roo jumping on her) or she could have an infection in her brain which is making the nerves not respond, hence the reason she can't walk. But she is on medication and will hopefully get better soon. Thanks for your response

 

[CMV]

Wow. Not what I was expecting. What did the vet put her on?