Mouse bite/Frost bite/ broken ankles???

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JacinLarkwell

Wrangler
Premium Feather Member
5 Years
Mar 19, 2020
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South-Eastern Montana
I found something wrong with 3 of my four babies from one of my nests and am absolutely terrified about possibly having to put them down if I can't figure out what happened.
1:
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This I think was a mouse bite. These birds run loose in the barn where there are mice, and I have seen a mouse dart out of their housing multiple times. Not super noticeable but there is a puncture wound on the toe. I cleaned it off with an antiseptic wipe and it started to bleed again. It also had a puss bubble between that toe and the middle I popped and cleaned that had clear liquid. The ankle is so, so swollen.
2:
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Pus bubble. She had another one that apparently popped on the other side of her middle toe. Cleaned and popped with clear liquid. No wounds to show what might have happened.
3:
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Both ankles are very swollen and she won't put weight on them. She walks on her legs, and doesn't want to walk. She let's me move them, and I didn't see any bubbles or wounds. They just look broken and I don't know how that would happen.
 
How old are these chicks? Do they roost or sleep on the floor? If roost, how high up? Are they in the barn 24/7? Is there a hen or any adult birds in with them? What do you feed, including treats?
 
All that swelling looks like either infection or fluid build up caused by trauma or inflammation.

Try Epsom salt feet soaks for 20 minutes at a time. It will soothe inflammation, and draw out any infection that is present. Then cover with antibiotic cream. You may need to do this for a few days.

For the chick with the mouse bite wound, clean it up and apply antibiotic cream, then a dressing to keep it clean, or if that isn't feasible just keep it on clean shavings and no outside run for a couple of days. These sorts of wounds heal up really quickly.
 
How old are these chicks? Do they roost or sleep on the floor? If roost, how high up? Are they in the barn 24/7? Is there a hen or any adult birds in with them? What do you feed, including treats?
They get layer feed crumbles just like every bird I've ever had plus whatever else mama finds them. They're with their mama hen and a brother that has not problems at all. About 9.5 weeks old, and except this past 2 weeks have been so cold, she probably would start weaning sooner. They sleep in a wooden hutch on shavings that's open for them to leave 24/7. They live in the barn constantly except when she takes them outside into the yard
 
All that swelling looks like either infection or fluid build up caused by trauma or inflammation.

Try Epsom salt feet soaks for 20 minutes at a time. It will soothe inflammation, and draw out any infection that is present. Then cover with antibiotic cream. You may need to do this for a few days.

For the chick with the mouse bite wound, clean it up and apply antibiotic cream, then a dressing to keep it clean, or if that isn't feasible just keep it on clean shavings and no outside run for a couple of days. These sorts of wounds heal up really quickly.
Thsnks. I think the one most concerning is 3. I checked and i see absolutely nothing to suggest what happened to her ankles
 
I just reread your post and see that you think the ankles are broken. I would do the same soaking as it will help anyway, and crate it to make sure the chick cannot move around. Also give some baby aspirin or ibuprofen to ease the pain.

It must have jumped or been pushed down very heavily off the roost and not had a chance to open its wings.
 

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