Swollen toe/foot !!! please help!

[chickenpredatorkiller]

Hello, I have a pullet that has a swollen toe/foot. It is about twice its normal size but it doesn't secrete anything or look infected... I have no idea what it is or what to do. If it would help, I will post some pictures tomorrow. Thanks!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry
here is a foot site for chickens that might help

 

[CrestedGirl]

Do you think she might have broken something?

 

[savingpurple]

That site is amazing !!!! Thanks....

Good luck with your hen...

 

[chickenpredatorkiller]

thanks. Luckily it doesn't seem to be causing her any pain, discomfort, or instableness... it doesn't seem to be infected or to be doing anything to her. thanks for the help.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
Check your roost height too- heavy fowl sometimes bite off more than they can chew in terms of how high to go up the roost at night and then they are faced with a long jump down in the morning.

They are prone to injury coming off a high roost, in other words.

I have seen a swollen toe happen when a hen caught her toe in fencing while on top of a logpile and then fell off, hanging by her toe. The swelling never went away.

 

[chickenpredatorkiller]

Check your roost height too- heavy fowl sometimes bite off more than they can chew in terms of how high to go up the roost at night and then they are faced with a long jump down in the morning.

They are prone to injury coming off a high roost, in other words.

I have seen a swollen toe happen when a hen caught her toe in fencing while on top of a logpile and then fell off, hanging by her toe. The swelling never went away.

oh and thats another thing. I just put in the roost in the coop, and so my hens have been roosting outside. Is that normal and is it better for them to roost in the coop? The outside one is less than 2 ft off the ground and so is the inside coop one. They haven't been roosting in there that I know of. They barely even go in the coop. Thx.​

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
oh and thats another thing. I just put in the roost in the coop, and so my hens have been roosting outside. Is that normal and is it better for them to roost in the coop? The outside one is less than 2 ft off the ground and so is the inside coop one. They haven't been roosting in there that I know of. They barely even go in the coop. Thx.

Well if you don't have a fort knox run then the predators can get them if they aren't locked up. Also if you are prone to cold weather and wind, etc. it is better to have them protected.

Your roost height sounds like it is not the culprit, eh?

 

[chickenpredatorkiller]

no, I don't think it is because it is dirt under it.... but ya i think predators can get in. Is there any way I can convince them to roost inside?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
Some take down the exterior roost awhile until they get used to roosting inside at night, others try turning on a little battery powered light in the coop right before they are to go in, and still others take each bird in hand and put them inside the coop to train them.

I am in the process of doing this with 20 bantams every night (moving each one by hand into the coop). They had their coop switched on them and now they roost in the run. They will learn. They always do!