Matilda is going to lose her feet. :(

[humblehillsfarm]

If you have an Instagram, reach out to lipstick_and_chickens. She adopted a rooster with feet in the same stage as your hens and he lost his feet. Be prepared, she will feel when the feet break off, and it will be incredibly awful. There is no sugar coating it. She went into graphic detail of his journey. The rooster's name is Barth, and it's been at least two years since he lost his feet and he lives a fairly good life, and learned how to walk on his nubs. There was a turkey on BYC who also lost its feet and developed bumblefoot on the nubs, so you would have to monitor her mobility very carefully. Based on what I've seen of other frostbite cases, I think she will lose at least some of her feet I am so sorry. Just remember she can keep living the good life. I agree with @Eggcessive to make a chicken sling so she can have a chance to be off the ground for a few hours a day and in a more natural position without putting weight on her feet. Keep us up to date on her journey. My heart is with you both, although those are just words, I know.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

It has been over 6 months since I updated this thread. (Time truly does fly.) Matilda has been doing great, and fully regained her ability to stand upright, hobble/walk around, & interact with her flock. Unfortunately her regained mobility has resulted in a medical issue. After a few photo updates from the past several months, I will get to the point of today's post, because I'm seeking advice and ideas.

As Matilda's leg muscles became stronger and more able to support her weight, she was no longer bullied. In fact she sometimes pecks at other hens if she feels they are invading her space, & the invaders promptly retreat. But notice her stance and posture. She often rocks back on her shanks for stability, balance and support.
September 5, 2021

In October, Matilda went through a fairly hard molt. Literally dropped a bucket full of feathers in two days, including her entire tail. I was very concerned a hard molt might be too stressful for her body to endure. Luckily the extreme feather loss only lasted those two days before loss slowed way down. While Matilda was molting, when I would go to retrieve her each eve to bring her inside, she began to run away from me. I understood it was because her pin feathers were very uncomfortable, & tried to be as gentle as possible when I picked her up and carried her. While it was annoying to have to chase her down each night, I was at the same time chuckling at her success in evading me. Her doing so signified great progress!

December 4, 2021
By now Matilda was spending approximately 80% of her days outside and standing upright. When she needs to rest she has several private places she will walk/hobble over to and lay down for a while.

Here is what was/is going on under the wraps.
For past reference and current comparison,
Photo of left stump with fleshy/bony protrusion taken August 12, 2021

Photo of left stump December 19, 2021.

Right stump photo taken June 24, 2021. Notice position of receding spur.

January 4, 2022. Shank being wrapped for months has led to spur remnant pressing against bottom of right foot pad. (Top of right foot detached May 2021, but bottom of foot pad remained intact.) I have been concerned spur could regrow and press into foot pad. There is currently no space in between. I've tried to gently pull/wiggle spur away, but spur is rigid and tight up against pad.

And now to my current concern, and why i am seeking advice. All these past months ive doctored and wrapped Matilda's stumps while standing.upright, and holding her in one arm while tending to each stump with my other hand. Because of this I could only see her stumps from above. For that reason I neglected to notice This on the bottom of her left stump. Bumble shank? Photo from December 19, 2021, when I first noticed the scab. Also notice how her shank has flattened due to that is where she bears her weight. Her lost left foot was at the end of the bony tip.

January 2, 2022. The scab is still there, and in addition more "sores" have appeared.

At this point i decided to wrap Matilda in a towel burrito and lay her on her side to have a better look at the bottom of her shank. I had never done this even once since Matilda is such a calm and easy patient. She protested briefly and then relaxed. She is still a very good girl.

And i discovered matching "bumbleshanks".
On bottom of right shank there was also a scab. The "wavy extension" at end of right shank is the bottom of her intact foot pad, and what she should be walking on. But because her left stump is shorter, she has learned to bear her weight equally on both stumps, and so the scabs on each shank match up.

I didn't know if "bumble shank" was even possible, but finally decided to give both stumps an epsom salt soak and remove the scabs
January 10, 2022

Removed a plug from under the scab of left shank. Yep. Bumbleshank can be a thing.

The issue on the right shank was minor; there was no plug under the shallow scab. Photo taken January 16, 2022 shows healing well underway, & today it looks even better.

But now what? Maybe more and better padding will solve the problem?
Here is how I have to date padded and wrapped her stumps:
First i cover the stump with padded gauze. I apply the pad before securing with 3 strips of vet wrap on each shank.
Somehow staph made contact with her shanks and infection took hold.

I watched a youtube video today where a vet wrapped a cut-off pool noodle to a hen's foot to protect bumblefoot while it healed. Its more difficult to secure Any type of padding when a hen has no toes, but a pool noodle certainly provides a lot more cushion and maybe will work. Does anyone have other/better ideas?

 

[azygous]

The more ideas the better. The most elegant solutions come from multiple input. One smart brain is nice, but multiple smart brains are the best.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

So here we,are. Waiting with vet wrap for the falling away. The left foot appears to be a goner; it has the tell-tale swelling at the line of demarcation. (You dont know how happy it would make me to be wrong.) I still have some hope for the right foot, since the bottom pad of right foot looks healthy. Looks like she's gonna get to keep them glorious spurs though. I did notice this morn that in addition to swelling, the left foot appears slightly red above the swelling. Is that nornal, or infection? If infection, what antibiotic should i give her? I have amoxycillin and cephalexin, but will order an antibiotic asap if she needs something i dont have.

 

[Weeg]

Oh my gosh! I just finished reading this thread, that is heartbreaking. I'm so sorry your going through this. Just remember, Matilda know she is loved. She knows your caring for her, and she knows that even though it hurts, things will get better, even without feet. Remember that, things will get better. Keep working threw this, you are a trooper to have come so far, I think a lot of people would have culled.

I would emediatly take that laundry basket, and clip a towel to either side, cut holes for two legs, and a poo hole and get her off the ground. How is her appetite now? Put Probiotics and Electrolytes in her water, and do the fermented feed like suggested above. If she is only eating treats, she really needs to eat some real food as well. Try making a mash out of her chicken feed to make it easier to eat.
You are doing an amazing job with her, you really are. Keep up the good work, you got this. This thread will be very helpful for others in the future, I think it should be a sticky thread in the emergencies section of this forum. Great job documenting, you are doing an amazing job, just remember that. You got this! *Hugs and more hugs*

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Tu. I started her on cephalexin wednesday eve, just to be safe. I sat in my chair and put her on my lap for a while before popping the pill in her beak. I didnt want her to think everytime i show up im gonna tug on her wattle. (To open her beak). She Loved laying on my lap! Every bit as relaxed as a dog or cat. I'm gonna order her a chicken diaper today. Not so she can roam my house, but because the whole time she was in my lap, i kept thinking "i hope she doesnt poop on me." She laid on my lap for almost an hour, very content and ocassionally making her sweet little hen talk. I didnt get pooped on, but an hour was pushing it! With a diaper, i can be as relaxed as she was.
The left leg has grown much more swollen since Wednesday at the line of demarcation. I tried to get a photo yesterday eve, but she kept pulling her left foot in toward her body. Whether that was due to pain or just odd sensations idk. I will try for another photo today. She shows no Obvious signs of pain, & makes no complaints. Due to Matilda's age (5 years), the fact i've learned that frostbite can lead to heart and other organ problems, and a chicken hanging upside down puts pressure on their internal organs, her accident immediately led to 3 strikes against her. So idk how much the accident may have shortened her life. But for now, she clearly wants to be here. As long as she does, here she will remain.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Probably the best medicine was you holding her you can alo crush the pill add a scrambled egg but scramble the pill in

Holding her was actually good medicine (very calming) for me! Ive tended to ailing horses, dogs, chickens & other patients before, but Matilda is Seriously the best/easiest patient ever. For example, last night, i pulled her wattle down to pop her cephalexin pill, but missed my aim and the pill dropped. She looked at it, picked it up, & ate it! So this morn i offered her the cephalexin in my open hand, & she ate it again. Then i offered her the baby aspirin and she ate that too! I couldnt believe it! "Ok Matilda, i wont pull your wattle anymore." Of course i so wish i could have healed her feet. She needed them to hunt bugs, dust bathe, waste all that chick starter she always scratched into the ground, & in general go about her formerly busy active chicken life. Plus i cant help feel like her lifespan has been shortened considerably. But she's been so easy to tend to that shes actually a joy to have around. (Not that it's been in any way worth it to sadly watch her feet die.)

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Photos. 1) stump with tissue appearing to extend only from top of leg, not the center where bone would be. 2) Definitely more willing to hold herself upright since right foot fell off. 3) Fell asleep in my lap. She just seems to collapse and melt. I dont know how long she would remain there, but this past weekend she was relaxed and content for an hour and a half. She was still relaxed when i finally needed to get up and put her back in her bed.

Oh sweet Matilda. I've really enjoyed reading her story, truly. You have a great way with words. I relate so much to her story. I mentioned earlier I bonded with a chicken over her Bumblefoot. Had I never tried to treat it, I never would have gotten to know her as more than a farm chicken. She has undergone so a lot of poking, prodding, and syringe squirts into her mouth, and she still stands persistently under my feet until I pick her up. Any time the kitchen door is open, you can bet Burrito finds her way into the house. She will regularly nap on the floor while I am cooking. It is clear as day that there are special chickens in this world. As you said, intensive care with most of them is difficult if not impossible, and I know this to be true.

She loves head scratches:

I have several photos and videos of her napping on my kitchen floor as well.

Enjoy your time with Matilda. I am definitely looking forward to future updates for her recovery and new life ahead of her.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Today, april 13. I stepped outside in the morning sun, to take another picture of the bottom of her right foot. And got my answer as to the status of the foot. The sun and photo angle clearly shows there is a blood supply in Some of her toes. Is that not the coolest photo?! So obviously there is still healing and recovery going on beneath the blackened skin.

I have continued with epsom salt soaks, veterycin spray, & triple antibiotic on both feet. Have left the left nub unwrapped since saturday. I was going to vetwrap the nub this weekend, & take her outside for some sunshine and an attempt at a dustbath. (At the least she could have enjoyed sitting in a dust hole). But after seeing the peeling scales and fresh pink skin on right foot, i thought best to keep her off dirt and not risk infection. So she continues to relax in my lap, & is very content. I still think some fresh air and sunshine would do her good, but gonna be rainy next several days anyway . To sum it up, Matilda is doing great!

 

[azygous]

Speaking of silicone, it reminded me of the noise ear plugs I recently got from Walmart. This material might be just the thing for Matilda's stumps. They're soft, moldable, and they are sticky. The stay where they are stuck.

They are the most effective ear plugs I've ever used, making a perfect seal, and they stay. I even shaved two small pieces off one plug and used them for the nose pieces on my glasses so they won't slip down my nose. They're like soft wax, you can mold it into any shape.