Omgoodness My Silkie's toe is broken!

[lswatson111304]

I just went outside to check on them and decided to try to handle them a bit. Well my about 4 week old silkie has a broken toe. I am pretty sure I've seen it before but he hopped out of my hand so quickly it didn't register that something was wrong. It is completely bent in toward the bottom of his foot. Its his 5th toe..I guess. LOL He gets around the brooder fine and seems ok otherwise, but his toe is just completely broken. What do I do?

 

[Beaker Duck]

You can make a splint with a bandaid for the toe. Or a little "boot" with a piece of cardboard and a bandaid.
Here is a link to a thread with some pictures

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=51112&p=1

I would try a splint of sorts, but if it doesn't work out, as long as it isn't impeding her in any way or causing discomfort, don't fret too much over it. We had a rooster here who had a toe caught in an eye hook, and was hanging upside down by that one toe for who knows how long. His pride was quite damaged, and his toe was crooked, but after the initial injury, it caused him no problems.

 

[BrattishTaz]

The link in my signature has a lot of info on foot and leg issues. The site is pretty user friendly with pics and instructions. Good luck.

 

[justafeedboy]

pipe cleaners can make nice bendable splints

 

[Pele]

Hrm... a 4 week old chick is active enough to be hard to splint. I'd get a flat peice of plastic and tape the chick's foot down flat to it with electrical tape wrapped all the way around. That will allow the foot to heal straight.

Pipecleaners and bandaides are more appropriate for several day old chicks. I think a 4 week old would get that off of his foot within 2 seconds flat.

Leave the splint on for one to two weeks, and viola it should be healed.

 

[lswatson111304]

Yeah I tried the bandaid and that didn't work.
Will the tape hurt the chick later on, I mean..he sure has lots of feathers on his feet!

 

[Pele]

If it's a feather-footed variety, you can trim the feathers down with scissors to reduce pulling. Having the tape on his foot won't hurt him. It may sting temporarily when you remove the tape after a week, but only momentarily. No permenant harm