Silkie Hen Feathers Strangulated Chick Leg - Unsure How to Proceed

[dublinducks]

We have two silkie hens who are currently co-raising two chicks together (also silkies). Yesterday I heard a chick screaming and ran in to find one hen walking around with a baby stuck to her, flopping the chick around as she moved. I grabbed him, ripped him off the Mom, and raced him inside to see what was going on. I used tiny medical scissors to cut down all of the hens feathers that were stuck to him, and found that her feathers had somehow wrapped around his leg and he couldn’t get loose.

I cut off the feathers that were wrapped around his leg, but I don’t know how long ago this happened. It seems like he was there awhile, because his leg was extremely swollen. His toenails were red and his toes were curled in a strange way. I doused it in Vetricyn and put him in an isolation bin under heat, and added some Rooster Booster to both his food and water in the hopes it might help his body heal.

Today, he is walking around and pecking the bedding, eating, drinking, acting normally. The only thing is his leg looks worse, it seems (?) to have swollen so much that it is bleeding due to the stretching of his skin. But he isn’t even acknowledging it, otherwise.

What should I do? Should I wrap his leg with some vet wrap? Should I find an antibiotic to give him? I am at a loss. At least right now, his quality of life still seems worth keeping him alive. That being said, I don't want to set him up for suffering. Even if I have to keep him as a special needs pet, that’s fine. But I just don’t know... should I try and give him some kind of antibiotic? Should I attempt to amputate? I am at a complete loss. I feel so bad for the little guy, I just wanna do right by him.

Any info helps - thank you so much!

 

[coach723]

Can you post some good pictures of the leg and foot?

 

[dublinducks]

Can you post some good pictures of the leg and foot?

Here are a few. It’s pretty gnarly. I think it’s much worse today than it was yesterday. I’m just at a loss. He is acting much happier than his physical condition would suggest. Open to any and all advice/suggestions.

 

[coach723]

Is vet care an option? I've never seen this from feathers from a mama, but I don't have silkies. It appears that circulation was impaired, the darkening suggests that tissue may have died, and there may be risk of loss of toes or foot below where that happened. I wouldn't wrap it, but anywhere the skin is broken I would flush well with chlorhexidine or sterile saline, let it dry and apply some plain triple antibiotic ointment. It's very hard to tell from pictures and with all the feathers on the legs, an assessment by a vet would be best to see if some of it may recover enough. I would watch for infection since it appears that so much of the leg was affected. If only toes are lost, the bird can adapt and do fine. If the entire foot is lost, or part of the leg, it will be much harder, a special needs bird for the rest of it's life. There are prosthetics made now with 3D printers, if that were the case and you wanted to try that.
I will tag a couple of others to see what they think and if they have other suggestions.
@Wyorp Rock
@Eggcessive

 

[MamaFox78]

Oh the poor little guy! I'll defer to others more experienced with chicks... but I agree with @coach723.

In my experience with other critters, any time circulation is cut off for a while, there's a good likelihood of the tissue going necrotic and developing gangrene, especially when the skin is broken. You can certainly try what Coach recommends for first aid, but amputation may be the only way to save him.

 

[Eggcessive]

Does he seem to be able to walk normally, or does he hold the leg up? Sometimes warm Epsom salts or saline soaks can help in healing wounds. Saline is made with 1/2 tsp of table salt added to an 8 ounce cup of water. You can heat it to sterilize it. The plain Neosporin or a similar antibacterial ointment or cream will help to keep down infection and help it to heal. I agree with coach723 that if the circulation was interrupted for long, the leg, foot, or toes may shrivel and fall off in time. I hope that you can save the leg of the little one. Please keep us updated on how the chick is getting along.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Is vet care an option? I've never seen this from feathers from a mama, but I don't have silkies. It appears that circulation was impaired, the darkening suggests that tissue may have died, and there may be risk of loss of toes or foot below where that happened. I wouldn't wrap it, but anywhere the skin is broken I would flush well with chlorhexidine or sterile saline, let it dry and apply some plain triple antibiotic ointment. It's very hard to tell from pictures and with all the feathers on the legs, an assessment by a vet would be best to see if some of it may recover enough. I would watch for infection since it appears that so much of the leg was affected. If only toes are lost, the bird can adapt and do fine. If the entire foot is lost, or part of the leg, it will be much harder, a special needs bird for the rest of it's life. There are prosthetics made now with 3D printers, if that were the case and you wanted to try that.
I will tag a couple of others to see what they think and if they have other suggestions.
@Wyorp Rock
@Eggcessive

I agree, seeking vet care would be best.

If not possible, then getting all the debris off the leg/foot would be a good step forward along with looking the leg/foot over really well to make sure there's nothing still wrapped and constricting blood flow since the leg is worsening.

How much of the leg/foot/toes will be lost is yet to be seen. The skin looks to be deteriorating or is broken in a few places, those need to be addressed with cleaning and application of triple antibiotic ointment.

To help keep the injury cleaner and from debris sticking, line the brooder with puppy pads instead of shavings.

 

[dublinducks]

@coach723 @Eggcessive @MamaFox78 @Wyorp Rock

Sorry about the late reply; we are building an addition onto our barn and accidentally snapped the internet cable, so I’ve been out of commission for a few days.

Baby is improving, albeit slowly. Took all of your advice — put little one on puppy pads, have been soaking in epsom salt twice a day for 5-15 minutes at a time, and applying triple antibiotic ointment after each soak.

He does put weight on it now, he stands and gets around better and better every day. The only thing that worries me is how twisted his foot is, he sort of stands on it sideways. I tried to get a good picture to attach, but it’s not the best. But I have a lot of hope for him. He might have a little trouble getting around, but I’m fairly confident he’ll make it. I’m planning on keeping him inside in isolation probably until close to adulthood. I am fairly certain he’d get picked on if I placed him with the other chicks.

Should I just keep doing what I’m doing moving forward? It seems to be working.

You guys have all been such great help — you helped me save his life! I’m very grateful, thank you.

 

[coach723]

Glad your chick is doing better. This may take a while, I would continue to monitor closely for infection, and consider an oral antibiotic if needed. Some of the foot or toes may still be lost, like with frostbite, it can take awhile for the body to close them off. If they die off then they will eventually fall off. That the swelling is coming down and it's using the leg is promising. You are right to be worried that it might get attacked by the others. As time goes on and it grows and heals, there may come a time when it might be able to be integrated with others, maybe in it's own area with just a couple of other birds for company, time will tell. Best of luck!

 

[Eggcessive]

The leg looks big and dark, and the feathers are dark as well. Do the feathers come out easily on the left leg? I am glad that he is walking around on it. I still worry that he could lose part of the toes, foot, or leg, but am hopeful. You are doing a great job helping him. Let us know how he gets along.