Toes are gone!

[LaFleche]

I soaked her feet and applied antibiotic. I’ve never had a problem happen like this. She was out running around yesterday. They have plenty of room. It’s not been cold outside. So I’m at a loss. It’s not mites if it was I don’t see how she could lose her toes in 12 hours. I’m at a loss.

Rats have very likely bitten her toes off during the night.

You should keep them somewhere safe.

 

[FunClucks]

I soaked her feet and applied antibiotic. I’ve never had a problem happen like this. She was out running around yesterday. They have plenty of room. It’s not been cold outside. So I’m at a loss. It’s not mites if it was I don’t see how she could lose her toes in 12 hours. I’m at a loss.

If it hasn't been below freezing where they are roosting at night, then you have rats. You can put them in a secure brooder at night if needed. Cover an XXL dog crate with 1/2" hardware cloth over every single opening, nothing more than 1/2" wide. Also, put sheets of metal on sides/bottom to prevent rat access of them while they're sleeping. If they'll roost, then put the metal over the sides right where the roost connects to the crate, and make the metal large enough that a rat can't reach around it. If they're roosting on the ground, then put metal on sides and bottom of crate. You'll want to put some shavings and clean them daily in this case. Often chicks will roost lower than adult hens, or on the floor of the coop, so will be prey for rats where adult hens are out of reach. But rats can for sure climb and go after adult hens if nothing easier is available. Sorry you're dealing with this. Rats can be VERY hard to eradicate.

ETA: There's not much you can do for your chick. They do sell chicken prosthetics, but those can be heavy/bulky, especially for chicks. Can your chick still walk around on its stubs and do chicken things and get to the food/water? If not, might have to seriously consider if it has adequate quality of life.

 

[PrairiePeckers]

If it hasn't been below freezing where they are roosting at night, then you have rats. You can put them in a secure brooder at night if needed. Cover an XXL dog crate with 1/2" hardware cloth over every single opening, nothing more than 1/2" wide. Also, put sheets of metal on sides/bottom to prevent rat access of them while they're sleeping. If they'll roost, then put the metal over the sides right where the roost connects to the crate, and make the metal large enough that a rat can't reach around it. If they're roosting on the ground, then put metal on sides and bottom of crate. You'll want to put some shavings and clean them daily in this case. Often chicks will roost lower than adult hens, or on the floor of the coop, so will be prey for rats where adult hens are out of reach. But rats can for sure climb and go after adult hens if nothing easier is available. Sorry you're dealing with this. Rats can be VERY hard to eradicate.

ETA: There's not much you can do for your chick. They do sell chicken prosthetics, but those can be heavy/bulky, especially for chicks. Can your chick still walk around on its stubs and do chicken things and get to the food/water? If not, might have to seriously consider if it has adequate quality of life.

Because she still the pads of her feet she still walks around to get to her food and water. I soaked her “feet” and cleaned them really good. Put antibiotic on them and put her in brooder. When I went back out she had flown out of brooder and was playing with other chicks. I can’t believe I’m going to say this but I believe I’m going to order her prosthetic feet. She otherwise is a healthy, active happy chick.

 

[PrairiePeckers]

The only chicken activity right now she can’t do is roost. I could turn one roost over to wider side and maybe she could roost with prosthetic. She was using her nubs to scratch at feed today. Resilient little chick!!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Photos attached

This was what I was leaning towards because outside temps are above freezing and coop is plenty warm.

Where are you located in the world and how old is this pullet/chick?

How cold were your temperatures oh say a month or so ago?

Looks like Frostbite to me, you may have seen her with toes/feet yesterday. She has horn coloring on her legs and probably did on the toes too. Frostbite usually turns dark, so at a glance, the toes may have looked perfectly fine for a long time.
It takes weeks and weeks/months for frostbitten toes to auto amputate. Looks like this is what has finally happened.

Doesn't look like fresh bites from an overnight toe eating session from a rat. The toes are healed up very well, nothing to indicate fresh wounds.

Read this article and look at the long thread (photos). This will be helpful. She's walking on her stumps and the may harden up o.k. but you may find that she needs to wrapped to help her get around better. Prosthetics, you can try, but I've seen most report they are fiddly and the bird actually gets around better with just wrapped stumps if necessary.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...to-know-about-injury-care-and-recovery.78168/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/matilda-is-going-to-lose-her-feet.1454933/

This one too. If you note, the initial post was in January. The latest update was just a few days ago. You're looking at 4(ish) months and toes are just now being lost. A lot depends on the severity of damage and how fast the body auto amputates. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/frostbite-frozen-foot.1609875/page-3#post-27670052

 

[PrairiePeckers]

Where are you located in the world and how old is this pullet/chick?

How cold were your temperatures oh say a month or so ago?

Looks like Frostbite to me, you may have seen her with toes/feet yesterday. She has horn coloring on her legs and probably did on the toes too. Frostbite usually turns dark, so at a glance, the toes may have looked perfectly fine for a long time.
It takes weeks and weeks/months for frostbitten toes to auto amputate. Looks like this is what has finally happened.

Doesn't look like fresh bites from overnight toe eating session from a rat. The toes are healed up very well, nothing to indicate fresh wounds.

Read this article and look at the long thread (photos). This will be helpful. She's walking on her stumps and the may harden up o.k. but you may find that she needs to wrapped to help her get around better. Prosthetics, you can try, but I've seen most report they are fiddly and the bird actually gets around better with just wrapped stumps if necessary.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...to-know-about-injury-care-and-recovery.78168/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/matilda-is-going-to-lose-her-feet.1454933/

We had a cold rain a couple weeks ago. I had one escape out of brooder. Luckily, I was able to save her. Maybe the same night this one Houdini’d her way out too and I missed it. She’s 5 weeks old.
The coop is pretty sound. And in the past two years we’ve been lucky with no critters getting inside. (Knock on wood) The wounds didn’t look fresh, hence my confusion. Due to the temps being fairly warm in addition to heater in brooder I really didn’t think it would be frostbite. I went back and looked at videos I took and all toes were present. If it’s frostbite I missed it and I hate that so much!
Thanks for the links!

 

[PopoMyers]

Where are you located in the world and how old is this pullet/chick?

How cold were your temperatures oh say a month or so ago?

Looks like Frostbite to me, you may have seen her with toes/feet yesterday. She has horn coloring on her legs and probably did on the toes too. Frostbite usually turns dark, so at a glance, the toes may have looked perfectly fine for a long time.
It takes weeks and weeks/months for frostbitten toes to auto amputate. Looks like this is what has finally happened.

Doesn't look like fresh bites from an overnight toe eating session from a rat. The toes are healed up very well, nothing to indicate fresh wounds.

Read this article and look at the long thread (photos). This will be helpful. She's walking on her stumps and the may harden up o.k. but you may find that she needs to wrapped to help her get around better. Prosthetics, you can try, but I've seen most report they are fiddly and the bird actually gets around better with just wrapped stumps if necessary.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...to-know-about-injury-care-and-recovery.78168/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/matilda-is-going-to-lose-her-feet.1454933/

This one too. If you note, the initial post was in January. The latest update was just a few days ago. You're looking at 4(ish) months and toes are just now being lost. A lot depends on the severity of damage and how fast the body auto amputates. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/frostbite-frozen-foot.1609875/page-3#post-27670052

We can always count on your wisdom.

 

[PrairiePeckers]

Update: No frostbite, no critters….I hired a man to do lawn work because I hurt my back. I wasn’t home when he working.
He told me today that he was weed eating around fence. Coop is about 3 in from fence. Weeds were tall back there. The chick had wedged herself behind fence and he didn’t see her until weeds were down. He thought she was ok because “she flew off”. Mystery solved.
She’s getting around really well and healing up great.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Update: No frostbite, no critters….I hired a man to do lawn work because I hurt my back. I wasn’t home when he working.
He told me today that he was weed eating around fence. Coop is about 3 in from fence. Weeds were tall back there. The chick had wedged herself behind fence and he didn’t see her until weeds were down. He thought she was ok because “she flew off”. Mystery solved.
She’s getting around really well and healing up great.

Oh wow!
I'm glad you figured it out. He got both feet too, that's something else.

She will lose that last toe that's hanging on, it will eventually fall off.

I agree, the feet look to be healing up very well. If you do run into trouble and need to treat the feet for some reason, follow the care suggestions in the Frostbite threads.

 

[paradisepentacoop]

Update: No frostbite, no critters….I hired a man to do lawn work because I hurt my back. I wasn’t home when he working.
He told me today that he was weed eating around fence. Coop is about 3 in from fence. Weeds were tall back there. The chick had wedged herself behind fence and he didn’t see her until weeds were down. He thought she was ok because “she flew off”. Mystery solved.
She’s getting around really well and healing up great.

Oh my word! I don't think ANY of us expected that!
I am so sorry to hear that she had that happen to her. Glad she is doing the best she can though. Little champion chicki