Frostbite/Frozen Foot

[mmwellsfarm]

Last week we had subzero temps come through and we took precautions but one hen somehow got her foot caught in the door. When I found her it was frozen solid (like a rock). She was able to stand on it until a day ago when blisters startered. One popped and the other hasn't yet. I know there's a chance she'll lose her foot but she's a fighter and has been trying to keep moving about still. Unfortunately, I have to go out of town for a couple days and I don't have anyone who can watch her that knows what to do. Is there anything special I should do to keep her foot safe from infection while we're gone? Anything special in general I should do for her?

 

[wrathsfarm]

Hope your girl recovers from her injury.

 

[mmwellsfarm]

Her foot doesn't look infected to me. As long as you continue to take adequate precautions to keep it clean, dry and topically medicated, I wouldn't worry. Epsom salts soaks will provide soothing pain relief and also help draw out any potential infection. A sling is also a very good idea to get the pressure off her body.

Are you still experiencing freezing temperatures? If not, it would also be a good idea to take her outside on nice days to be near the other flock members. (Sunshine and fresh air will keep her spirits up too.) If you have a wire dog cage to confine her in so she is fully visible to the other chickens, that would be perfect. It's difficult enough to integrate a healthy chicken into an established flock, and since she will be handicapped, she is even more likely to be bullied unless your other hens remember that she belongs. What is her name?

She has been going out on nice days. We made a pen for her next to a rooster that's mean (he's in his own pen for now but he's about to get his own girls soon) and she took herself there when we let herself roam to wherever she wanted. We covered it so hawks couldn't get her while she's out there unsupervised. My kids decided to name her Nubz so it would be fitting once her foot is gone. We have a shed where we can keep her once she's healed. We keep her in the house for now so we can keep a better eye on her and we know the temps are comfortable while she's healing. She's a character. She even plays with the cat (my cat doesn't hurt chickens, chicks, or quail - we taught him birds are friends).

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Your instincts and common sense seem spot-on, and as long as you continue to learn all you can while continuing to trust your intuition, Nubz is going to be fine. It is true that her remaining healthy stump will be most suscetible to infection after the necrotic foot falls off and leaves remaining healthy tissue exposed. But you will be surprised at how quickly a protective scab (eschar) grows to cover it. Should only take a few days. During those first few days is also when it is most advisable to loosely cover the remaining open wound and not allow the stump to get dirty or wet. If you decide to give antibiotics during that time, cepahalexin is a good antibiotic to help skin, tissue and bone infections heal. But as long as you continue with your current level of care, antibiotics will probably not be necessary. The auto-amputation process does an amazing job of keeping viable remaining tissue healthy while it prepares the necrotic foot to separate and fall away.

You probably aren't getting any responses from online vets because they aren't experienced in treating chickens and other birds, and cats and dogs rarely suffer severe frostbite. Unfortunately, birds with severe frostbite appear regularly every year on this forum, and the medical experts here are very experienced in giving poultry owners excellent advice to help their birds recover. You will receive much helpful advice here to help Nubz, so never hesitate to ask.

 

[mmwellsfarm]

Update on Nubz: she still favors her foot but she walks on it with a limp, flies out of shed/coop where she's the only one allowed to roam free (we keep babies, quail, and bunnies in there), she laid an egg the other day, and she goes to visit her old run and lays outside of it which is up a hill.

 

[MarlaMac]

I hope she is able to retain the foot.

 

[mmwellsfarm]

@Allsfairinloveandbugs @Wyorp Rock

Here's what's her foot looks like right now. Still a process. Definitely taking its time.

 

[Rhode]

Please do not pop it, opening it may increase risk of infection.

I found a thread with detailed info from @Allsfairinloveandbugs about a different chicken with frostbite blisters on feet. She recommended:
-keeping chicken in warm, dry, clean place
-baby aspirin: given once daily or 1/2 baby aspirin given twice daily to help with pain
-topical triple antibiotic ointment/vetericyn spray/other topical antibiotic/antimicrobial to help deter infection, especially on the broken blister area

Perhaps she or @Wyorp Rock have more insight about how to help or what to expect, as the shank injury may supersede blister treatment.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Here's the article @Allsfairinloveandbugs wrote, it's very detailed and packed with information about care.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...to-know-about-injury-care-and-recovery.78168/

To me, it looks like she will probably lose the whole foot up to the point where the leg was hung, looks like it's already starting to begin the process of auto amputation.

If she's hanging in there with the treatment you are giving now, then I'd continue just as you are.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

I'm sorry about your hen. The incident where she got her foot caught in the door during extreme cold despite your precautions is exactly what happened to my hen. I.e. despite my precautions, she got caught in a precarious position which led to the loss of both her feet. Unfortunately, I agree with @Wyorp Rock that it looks like your hen's foot has already died and is becoming visibly necrotic where her leg was caught. The red blisters near her toes also signify severe frostbite damage. (Bisters filled with clear fluid would mean the damage wasn't as severe.)

I wouldn't worry about needing to go out of town and leave her alone for a couple of days at this early stage of the frostbite damage. Make sure she isn't exposed to further freezing temperatures (which could lead to further injury), coat the injured leg and foot before you leave with Vetericyn spray, triple antibiotic ointment or other topical antibiotic to protect any viable tissue from potential contamination, leave her enough food and water to last for a couple of days, put a top over the bin so she can't escape while you are gone, and she should be fine.

It looks like you are using puppy pads or similiar bedding. That works well as long as you can keep the bedding clean, but may be better to use shavings during the time you are gone.