Quail chick with injured toe

[Wandering_r0gue]

I have one quail chick that looks like it has dried poop stuck to the tip of one toe. I tried to carefully break it off but it is very hard, and seemed to be causing the bird distress. Now, it is walking fine, but it looked like there was some blood underneath it, so I am thinking now it injured its toe somehow and this is actually a scab. It looks like a brownish clump that encapsulates the tip of the toe, but the claw sticks out. Like dried poop.

The question is: should I try to soak it, clean it and treat it, OR, leave it be, let it heal on its own and watch for signs of infection?

If anyone has any insights let me know.

I found this other thread that seems similar... https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/quail-injured-toe-amputate-or-leave.1505160/

 

[nuthatched]

Soak it off, it's likely poop. Can you get a picture?

 

[Whiskybear]

You can make it stay in a shallow pan of warm water for awhile and see if that clump comes off once it’s softened, just don’t force it too much. Whatever the clump is, it’ll be easier to see what you’re dealing with if it comes off.

 

[Wandering_r0gue]

Soak it off, it's likely poop. Can you get a picture?

Definitely looks like dried blood/scabbing to me.

 

[nuthatched]

Definitely looks like dried blood/scabbing to me.

Ammonia burns from the prolonged contact with the poop.

 

[Wandering_r0gue]

Hmmm. OK.

Treatment? I haven't been able to find out much for this.

We have been trying to make sure we clean their brooder often, and clean off their feet when we see poo stuck to them.

 

[TinaandJohnny]

Hmmm. OK.

Treatment? I haven't been able to find out much for this.

We have been trying to make sure we clean their brooder often, and clean off their feet when we see poo stuck to them.

Yeah I would say to soak it and see if it flakes off on its own. One of my girls somehow stubbed her toe and lost her toenail and it never grew back and she’s perfectly healthy other than having a suspiciously VERY humanlike toe. I just soaked it and kept her away from the others so they didn’t try to peck at it.

 

[Wandering_r0gue]

Yeah I would say to soak it and see if it flakes off on its own. One of my girls somehow stubbed her toe and lost her toenail and it never grew back and she’s perfectly healthy other than having a suspiciously VERY humanlike toe. I just soaked it and kept her away from the others so they didn’t try to peck at it.

Thanks!