poop toes???

[spell]

update:
it is poop--possibly mud.
they started falling off on their own (which is what we were hoping for). we still have one girl with a pretty large one. we tried soaking it and it did dissolve some. these ladies are not used to being held so they are hard to catch and hard to hold! we had to just let her go about her business.

it will come off and that's the important thing!
thanks for your advice

 

[silkiechicken]

Great, glad you figured it out. Was going to say that it's probably poop balls. If day old chicks are raised on newspaper instead of a litter of some sort, they can form tight round poop balls on their nails.

 

[burquechick]

I just got Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens in the mail yesterday, and wouldn't you know it, they actually bring up the subject of poop toes?! They call it "manure balls" in the book, but apparently it is very common. And, yes, they suggest soaking the feet in warm water.

Just thought I might share that....

 

[spell]

Quote:
thanks! i'll add that book to my list!