LGBTQ+ Poultry Keepers

[ChickyCh00k]

I like to come here for advice, because everyone seems pretty experienced and I trust your suggestions (sometimes, when you start a new thread, you get no responses or too many conflicting opinions).

One of my 1 yr old hens (Poor Ginny) has a broken "pinky" toe (right foot - outermost toe). She's limping a bit, but still able to walk, eat, drink, and roost. Here's what it looks like :

Please let me know if y'all think I should (or would rather) I start a new thread in the "injuries" forum ... I've searched the various threads that mention broken toes (lots about baby chicks deformities, but not as many adult birds). Some say there's not really anything to do but let it heal and be deformed, and some say to splint it and crate the bird at night (which I'm not super keen on, but will do if necessary).

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I like to come here for advice, because everyone seems pretty experienced and I trust your suggestions (sometimes, when you start a new thread, you get no responses or too many conflicting opinions).

One of my 1 yr old hens (Poor Ginny) has a broken "pinky" toe (right foot - outermost toe). She's limping a bit, but still able to walk, eat, drink, and roost. Here's what it looks like :
View attachment 3648032

Please let me know if y'all think I should (or would rather) I start a new thread in the "injuries" forum ... I've searched the various threads that mention broken toes (lots about baby chicks deformities, but not as many adult birds). Some say there's not really anything to do but let it heal and be deformed, and some say to splint it and crate the bird at night (which I'm not super keen on, but will do if necessary).

Are you sure it's broken and not dislocated? Not sure how you would fix it though, just that every break my birds have had has made a very defined corner In the toe

 

[TwoCrows]

I like to come here for advice, because everyone seems pretty experienced and I trust your suggestions (sometimes, when you start a new thread, you get no responses or too many conflicting opinions).

One of my 1 yr old hens (Poor Ginny) has a broken "pinky" toe (right foot - outermost toe). She's limping a bit, but still able to walk, eat, drink, and roost. Here's what it looks like :
View attachment 3648032

Please let me know if y'all think I should (or would rather) I start a new thread in the "injuries" forum ... I've searched the various threads that mention broken toes (lots about baby chicks deformities, but not as many adult birds). Some say there's not really anything to do but let it heal and be deformed, and some say to splint it and crate the bird at night (which I'm not super keen on, but will do if necessary).

Sorry your girl has injured her toe. If she were mine, I would do a couple things. First I'd get a piece of cardboard and outline her bad foot and make a cut out of the foot. (You don't want to pull it in case it causes too much pain) I'd make it a tad smaller than her entire foot so she isn't clomping around and catching it on things. Towel her and lay her in your lap on her back. I'd get some vet wrap and starting above the foot joint, I'd start wrapping around down the leg, around each toe and back up the leg, going around this cut out that will be on the bottom of the foot.

Like this... (no cut out in this photo, this chick peeled off some of her scales that bled) you will need to go down the toes a bit, do the best you can.

Don't wrap too tightly, but just tight enough to keep the wrap from slipping. Check the foot for temp 5 miss after wrapping, if it's cold, you've wrapped too tight.

Then I'd cage her most of the day. Supervised free ranging for 10 mins here and there. Cage her at night. If she has a buddy, put them in there with her too once in a while maybe at night too so she doesn't panic.

If by chance the cut out is making her absolutely miserable (it will take 24 hours for her to get used to it,) then I MIGHT remove it. BUT I would keep it wrapped and her caged for several weeks. I would use some sort of thick medical tape to keep it straight however, nothing too sticky that will rip off scales to remove. You might offer up 1 baby aspirin in a raisin or blueberry once a day for a few days, then only a few times a week. Baby aspirin only.

Keep us posted!

 

[ChickyCh00k]

Are you sure it's broken and not dislocated? Not sure how you would fix it though, just that every break my birds have had has made a very defined corner In the toe

No, I'm not sure it's broken. I just assumed because of how it looks. Dislocation didn't cross my mind, but that's a possibility. I don't even know how it happened.

If she were mine, I would do a couple things

Thank you so much for such a thorough and thoughtful response!

I'm really worried about separating her from the flock, especially during the day (and for several weeks, as it would likely entail a reintegration and I havent the slightest inkling on doing that - she's somewhat low in the pecking order), but I can understand the reasoning for doing so.

If I crate her, should it be inside the run (my current coop isnt large enough to fit a crate), or in the garage or something? I have a large-ish dog crate, but I don't think there's room for more than 1 bird plus food/water.

So stressful (for Ginny AND me )!

 

[TwoCrows]

No, I'm not sure it's broken. I just assumed because of how it looks. Dislocation didn't cross my mind, but that's a possibility. I don't even know how it happened.

Thank you so much for such a thorough and thoughtful response!

I'm really worried about separating her from the flock, especially during the day (and for several weeks, as it would likely entail a reintegration and I havent the slightest inkling on doing that - she's somewhat low in the pecking order), but I can understand the reasoning for doing so.

If I crate her, should it be inside the run (my current coop isnt large enough to fit a crate), or in the garage or something? I have a large-ish dog crate, but I don't think there's room for more than 1 bird plus food/water.

So stressful (for Ginny AND me )!

I'd keep her caged within the flock as much as possible, you definitely want to make it easy to mix her back in. So caged while in the run and outside too, always around the flock. If she isn't limping horribly, you might only cage her a couple of days? I think you will need to use your own discretion on this part. If it's wrapped and especially if she has on a foot cut out on, she shouldn't be making things worse. The wrapping should speed up healing, even if this is only just a sprain.

Be the judge on how much movement is good for her, only you can see her. I definitely would keep it wrapped even if she isn't caged.

 

[ChickyCh00k]

I'd keep her caged within the flock as much as possible, you definitely want to make it easy to mix her back in. So caged while in the run and outside too, always around the flock. If she isn't limping horribly, you might only cage her a couple of days? I think you will need to use your own discretion on this part. If it's wrapped and especially if she has on a foot cut out on, she shouldn't be making things worse. The wrapping should speed up healing, even if this is only just a sprain.

Be the judge on how much movement is good for her, only you can see her. I definitely would keep it wrapped even if she isn't caged.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

This has been tremendously helpful! I'm going to attempt to make a splint as you instructed and I'll see what happens. She's moving around ok atm, but when I brought wet food out for everyone, watching her "run" to me was quite a sight (although she was able to run, or maybe "gallop" is a better description). I'll also try crating her overnight - I'm assuming she wont be able to roost with a splint - and reevaluate again tomorrow.

I so appreciate your help!

 

[TwoCrows]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

This has been tremendously helpful! I'm going to attempt to make a splint as you instructed and I'll see what happens. She's moving around ok atm, but when I brought wet food out for everyone, watching her "run" to me was quite a sight (although she was able to run, or maybe "gallop" is a better description). I'll also try crating her overnight - I'm assuming she wont be able to roost with a splint - and reevaluate again tomorrow.

I so appreciate your help!

You are so welcome! Every case is so different, I'm giving you worst case scenario here on my suggestions. Use your discretion on how much caging and whether or not she needs a splint. From the sounds of it, she should make a full recovery eventually. Keep us posted on her!

 

[ChickyCh00k]

You are so welcome! Every case is so different, I'm giving you worst case scenario here on my suggestions. Use your discretion on how much caging and whether or not she needs a splint. From the sounds of it, she should make a full recovery eventually. Keep us posted on her!

I will keep you updated!

Thank you, again, you're the bestest!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I don't even know how it happened

Of all mine with wonky toes (minus frostbite and one other injury), I know reason for exactly 1. The others just showed up broken one day out of the blue. They never were limping though

 

[ChickyCh00k]

Of all mine with wonky toes (minus frostbite and one other injury), I know reason for exactly 1. The others just showed up broken one day out of the blue. They never were limping though

Never limping?! That's interesting. My girl definitely has a little hitch in her giddy-up, but she seems quite normal aside from that. I'm hoping she'll continue to improve without me having to put a bunch of extra stress on her.