Limping Chicken With a Weak Middle Toe - PLEASE HELP!

[Anna W]

I noticed that she also has pink eyes unlike the others. Is that normal?

 

[Eggcessive]

Do you mean her irises are pink or does she have pinkey (conjunctivitis?) Do you have pictures?

 

[nightowl223]

I noticed that she also has pink eyes unlike the others. Is that normal?

We aren't sure what you mean by that. Are the whites of her eyes pink, or the irises (colored parts) are pink? Are there pink spots, or lines of pink, or what? Pics would definitely help.

As for her foot, I agree with the advice you've gotten here. If she is trying to develop bumblefoot, it's much too early to tell. It's possible she just got a stone bruise there.

 

[Elfer]

Hello all!

I am new to this forum, but have followed it for about a year now. Many of the posts were so helpful in treating my chickens--thank you! Unfortunately, I am in need of your help once again with my one year old chicken who is limping. That said, this is not her first time limping, she did have bumble foot (right) once and I did the surgery (passing out in the middle of it, but I did finish when I came to). She is limping on her left foot, just started yesterday. What is strange is that her middle toe is so weak that she does not curl it up when I put my finger to it. The foot does not seem to be super swollen or hot either, but it does hurt her to step on it. I have given her foot bath last night and treated with Vetericyn and bandaged her up just incase it is a beginning stage of bumblefoot (but the toe is odd). She is otherwise a healthy eater, nothing is drooping or any other symptoms are present. I heard somewhere that a particular disease attacks mostly left foot and that antibiotic treatment is needed? Any suggestions, please? Thank you!

I have a small hen that's limping a bit also with no sign of bumblefoot, and I think it may be from my largest roo breeding. I've been epsom salt soaking, but don't know anything else to recommend. I do have a hen with a toe broken 2 yr. ago that does fine. It's just crooked. I tried splinting it, but I couldn't get her to quit taking it off. Another one broke a toe and it just hung limp. Unfortunately, she died.

 

[nightowl223]

I have a small hen that's limping a bit also with no sign of bumblefoot, and I think it may be from my largest roo breeding. I've been epsom salt soaking, but don't know anything else to recommend. I do have a hen with a toe broken 2 yr. ago that does fine. It's just crooked. I tried splinting it, but I couldn't get her to quit taking it off. Another one broke a toe and it just hung limp. Unfortunately, she died.

I'm sorry for the loss of your hen. Was the death due to a complication of the broken toe, like a case of gangrene or something? Or completely unrelated?

 

[Elfer]

I'm sorry for the loss of your hen. Was the death due to a complication of the broken toe, like a case of gangrene or something? Or completely unrelated?

Not sure. It was a long time ago so don't remember well. Seems she just mysteriously died soon after. I think it was a bad break so prob. got infected but not so I could tell. I have a guinea that is a good guard but delights in chasing into things sometimes. The crooked toe hen was my fault. Got toe smashed in cage with insufficient wire bottom when placed on ground. She was young then, and now 2 or 3, and does fine. Big GL Wyandotte who still flies to rafters with the others.

 

[Anna W]

Thank you for the insight! I did not think of the broken toe. She is the largest and heaviest of my chickens, but is the most gentle and least aggressive, so the others pick on her. Her middle toe does hang limp as well, kind of straight and she doesn't bend it. I gave in and started her on Tylosin, and I already see an improvement. She no longer holds her foot up all the time and doesn't seem to have as big of a limp. I will continue her on this antibiotic and will update as to her progress.

 

[Elfer]

My hen that I said was also limping seems to walk fine now, and she limped for 4 days or more. Just did a couple of soaks, which didn't seem to make any difference, so guess it was a sprain or bruise. But antibiotics wouldn't hurt if it might be broken.

 

[Anna W]

I am so happy your hen is better now!
Upon examining my hen, I see that the swelling on her left foot is down and the foot is healing. She started to improve with antibiotics. Soaks and topical stuff did not work much as her foot kept on becoming more swollen. I am glad I had Tylosin on hand. I worked out a dose of 1/8 tsp to 2 cups of water. And put the powder in first then add water and mix in quickly as it tends to caulk up. I also added Nutridrain to sweeten her water a bit (I didn't know if apple juice is OK, which is the only juice I have at the moment), since Tylosin is very bitter. I give her some yummy stuff (she loves barley and oats) in the evenings after I do the soaks and bandaging. I am planning on keeping her on Tylosin for recommended 14 days, and will keep applying softening stuff like petroleum jelly on her feet and bandaging them until her feet look healthy again. Also ordered Banixx for Chixx and will apply to her eyes. It is the area around the eye that is red, the eye itself looks fine. I plan to apply this to the red area and see if it gets better with Banixx and antibiotic treatment. If you think that I am doing anything wrong, please shout out, as I am new to this chicken stuff.

 

[Elfer]

Before my little hen quit limping, I decided to remove the leg band that had been put on by her original owner. It was fairly loose and could have had something to do with an injury, as there are things free rangers can get feet caught in around here. Had thought about banding future chicks for ID, but I don't know now.