Matilda is going to lose her feet. :(

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

For what it's worth, i just now sprayed and applied ointment to her left leg and right foot. Matilda then went beebopping away a short distance. Took these photos a few minutes ago. Maybe the sunlight IS giving me false hopes, because all toes are/have been stiff, rigid and inflexible for some time now. Plus, it now appears the Entire right foot pad is swollen, causing the toes to extend upward from foot. Idk what that means; guess i will soon find out. Either way, still greatly relieved to know theres nothing more to do but treat and wait.

 

[azygous]

The swelling of tissue is the "walling off" process. It really is quite fascinating to watch as it progresses. This walling off protects the chicken from systemic infection. The swelling eventually blocks the blood supply to the damaged tissue, and then the damaged tissue dies completely, no longer a danger to the rest of the chicken's body. It will dry up and fall off, and the swelling slowly will go away.

If you can ignore how ghastly it appears, you have a front-row seat to a remarkable survival mechanism chickens have evolved from their long history on the planet, dating back to dinosaur times.

 

[KaseySnow]

Thanks for the updates! I am watching this progress with much curiosity. So happy to see Matilda doing so well!

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

That is very interesting info. And not sure what that means for her right foot. This is bottom of her foot earlier today. The pad has always appeared pink and healthy in contrast to the blackened toes, but now the pad is obviously swelling. Only the bottom of her foot, not the top.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

@KaseylSnow , as an aside, here is closeup photo of her beak issue you noticed. I did give her a small paver brick to help her trim her beak. Thank you for that idea. She has managed to mostly file off the long narrow portion that made her look cross-beaked when photographed from her right side. That narrow portion had never grown out until after her injury. Her lower beak also extends out much more since injury; waiting to see if she can trim it herself without my aid. Her upper beak has been short and straight as long as i can remember. How it happened i'll never know, but pretty sure she arrived from the hatchery that way.

 

[KaseySnow]

As an aside, here is closeup photo of her beak issue you noticed. I did give her a small paver brick to help her trim her beak. Thank you for that idea. She has managed to mostly file off the long narrow portion that made her look cross-beaked when photographed from her right side. That narrow portion had never grown out until after her injury. Her lower beak also extends out much more since injury; waiting to see if she can trim it herself without my aid. Her upper beak has been short and straight as long as i can remember. How it happened i'll never know, but pretty sure she arrived from the hatchery that way.

Oh yay! I'm glad to hear she is using the little brick to file it down herself. I hope she continues to keep it tidy. If not, I'm sure she'd cooperate and let you file it down for her. She probably trusts you a great deal now with all of this time you've been spending together. It's much harder to trim the beak of a bird who isn't used to being handled.

 

[Sally PB]

For such a bad injury, this is such a heartwarming thread.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

After input from @azygous last night, and the fact her foot pad seems to be even more swollen today, i decided to take photos of Matilda's right foot from the side view. Viewing today's photos allows me no hope her right foot will remain attached. From the side view, right foot today looks very similiar as her left foot did in photo from April 2. Left foot detached less than 48 hours later. No clue why photo taken a couple days ago seemed to show a blood supply in toenail quick, or why toes in sunlight appeared to show a possible blood supply last week.

Oh, and end of right spur is now blackened on tip, & spur size appears to have shrunk a bit. Even though spurs on Both feet had appeared to be above line of demarcation, looks like she will lose those too. So now waiting for the other foot to drop. Matilda will still be ok.

 

[pennyJo1960]

But if you heard what was said they may heal .. Chickens have a healing quality we will never fully understand .. keep close eye on it ..
She may be able to keep it .. watch as @azygous said

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

But if you heard what was said they may heal .. Chickens have a healing quality we will never fully understand .. keep close eye on it ..
She may be able to keep it .. watch as @azygous said

Yes i ll definitely be closely watching, & will update if anything changes. The stub will heal. But from all i've seen in pictures,(& personally witnessed with her left foot), the severe swelling at demarcation line weeks means the body parts are preparing to separate. Same as i originally said with her left foot, i sincerely wish/hope i am wrong. But same as with left foot, i sadly dont think so.