Toe/toenail ripped up!

Delaneygraces

Certified Procrastinator
5 Years
Jan 14, 2018
681
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Illinois
Hello! A few minutes ago, I was out side Catching chickens to put into pens. I was getting frustrated, as Squirt was having a grand old time evading me. I was too rough, and not paying enough attention, so when she farted under my feet, I didn’t react fast enough, and my shoe came down on her foot, smashing it between the bottom of my shoe and a rough concrete floor. She struggled and jerked around for those split seconds, but apparently it was enough to do some damage. She squealed, and started chirping really loud. I picked her up, and sadly her foot and toes were all ripped up. I don’t have any pictures, as I want her to relax and let the bleeding stop. But in one foot, part of the thick pad ripped, but no blood, and the side of her toe, near the “web” is ripped and bleeding heavily. On the other foot, I’m terrified that it’ll prevent her from being able to walk, Scratch, and be a show bird like she was being prepared for. The bottom of the toe is shredded, and bleeding a little, but the worst is her middle toenail. It’s still attached, but only by one side, and the top. But it’s bleeding a lot, and there’s something under it, I can’t tell if it’s bone, skin, or part of the inner toenail.
I quickly packed some flour onto her feet, and stuck her back in her pen. No toes looked crooked, or broken, but it’s hard to tell.
Any other advice would be greatly appreciated!! I’m praying it’s nothing permanent for that toenail, for her well being and health, and so she can keep showing. (She is very nicely put together, and will do amazing if that toe heals correctly.)

~I’ll post some pictures tomorrow, but any ideas would be helpful asap
Thank you!
 
If the toenail is partially torn off, you need to trim the rest of it off. The broken end flopping around as she walks will just start the bleeding again. Use dog toenail trimmers if you have them, if not, use human toenail clippers. Cut as close to the toe as possible, in one quick cut. It will bleed again, so have some styptic powder, or cornstarch or flour to staunch it, and apply pressure to the end. The nail may grow back, or not, time will tell. Keep it clean, I would keep her inside tonight until you can get a better look at it. If the bone is exposed, she should be seen by a vet and get antibiotics.
 
Here’s some pictures:

30D36FF5-CD02-4E31-AB5E-EC5908B56C80.jpeg
0DBD3AFB-83C2-45C1-8B27-87255936ED15.jpeg

These were from last night, I went out to check her, and took some quick pictures. The blood has stop, and both legs are very warm to the touch. She is walking fine, no limping, but when she stands still, she will not put weight on it. Once I get home around 11:00, I’ll clean it up (Any suggestions on how to clean the sawdust/poop/blood off?) and take Better pictures. The darker thing is her toenail, te bloody part is what I suspect to be bone. Before it got bloody, it’s was a light tan/grey color.

If the toenail is partially torn off, you need to trim the rest of it off. The broken end flopping around as she walks will just start the bleeding again. Use dog toenail trimmers if you have them, if not, use human toenail clippers. Cut as close to the toe as possible, in one quick cut. It will bleed again, so have some styptic powder, or cornstarch or flour to staunch it, and apply pressure to the end. The nail may grow back, or not, time will tell. Keep it clean, I would keep her inside tonight until you can get a better look at it. If the bone is exposed, she should be seen by a vet and get antibiotics.
Thanks! Should I cut it off completely, down to the base? Or just enough so it doesn’t catch on anything?

Keep it clean and dry.
Thank you! I put her in her e pen, and she fell asleep, but it couldn’t nessacryily prevent her from walking around, and I tried wrapping the foot to prevent it getting dirty, but she kept picking it off.
 
I would soak the foot in a tub of clean water, if you have betadine, you could add some to the water. It will probably start to bleed actively again you might want to pick up some Quick Stop at a pet store to apply. I would cut it right in front of the point where the nail goes into the foot. That will hurt for a bit, you might get some help to hold her. Then apply the quick stop. If her foot is red and hot, she'll need antibiotics asap. An infection in the bone is not good.
 
Ouch! That red bit is the quick. If you’ve ever cut a dog’s nails, that is what starts bleeding if you cut too far. It is PACKED full of nerves, an exposed quick is an extremely painful but relatively minor injury if it is kept clean.

That nail is still attached at the base and won’t do any good like that. If it was a dog you’d generally have to ask a vet to remove it as you wouldn’t be able to get within 10 feet without the dog freaking out. For a chicken, it’s hard to say without being there. If it’s really loose and detached, you might have to soften the nail and try to rip it off. If that’s not an option, it should be trimmed as short as possible. Softening and cleaning can be done in a soak of warm water and soap.

As for keeping it clean, I think you will have to get creative. This cannot stay exposed, as soon as she starts scratching it will open and bleed like a gunshot wound. Not to mention chance of infection that could ultimately get into the toe bone. If you cannot keep her inside for a while on very clean bedding, then you will probably have to try and find a way to wrap it. Hopefully you get better advice on this than what I could offer. I would probably try a gauze pad with some antibiotic on it and wrapping it all up in duct tape.
 
A deformity of any kind may be a serious fault in a show bird.

I would wrap the toe in as natural of a position as it is humanly possible to do, then hope for the best.

It is so much better on both you and your birds if you catch your chickens off the roost rather than chase them down like a fox or coyote would do.

PS: Even those big bad evil factory chicken farmers capture their chickens after dark.
 
A deformity of any kind may be a serious fault in a show bird.

I would wrap the toe in as natural of a position as it is humanly possible to do, then hope for the best.

It is so much better on both you and your birds if you catch your chickens off the roost rather than chase them down like a fox or coyote would do.

PS: Even those big bad evil factory chicken farmers capture their chickens after dark.

Thank you! See, they’ve never roosted our side, and if I leave them out, like I did one night when I was late, they either lay on the ground in front of their pen, or continuing running around. But thanks for the advice! They all usually come in when I call, but she didn’t for some reason. I’ll try to wrap it, and keep my fingers crossed it doesn’t heal deformed :fl
 
Thank you! See, they’ve never roosted our side, and if I leave them out, like I did one night when I was late, they either lay on the ground in front of their pen, or continuing running around. But thanks for the advice! They all usually come in when I call, but she didn’t for some reason. I’ll try to wrap it, and keep my fingers crossed it doesn’t heal deformed :fl

It doesn't matter if they have ever roosted outside or not. After dark or when the lights go out chickens are basically helpless and completely at your mercy.
 
Please don't use duct tape to wrap it. Duct tape does not breathe and will cause more problems than it will help. You can get breathable tape at the drugstore, or use vet wrap around a gauze pad. She will need to be confined to a dog crate or such while it heals. I wouldn't leave her in the run, too dirty and if the tape comes off while you are not around, it will be contaminated in a heartbeat.
 

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