Aricana's foot is falling off

[Louise's Country Closet]

Given that she doesn't come down with an infection, she can definitely heal and thrive! I'm not joking when I say that you couldn't tell the difference between Stumpy and any of the other chickens besides her limp. She's skinnier than the rest but I think that's because it takes her more energy to get around. She's learned how to fly a little more too so she can really move around the yard. I'm SO glad that I didn't cull her like everyone suggested when I was here asking about it.. she's become one of my favorites.

When Stumpy had hers fall off, the leg was pretty warm so we always kept an eye on that.. I think HOT would be a cause to worry, while warm could be because it's so sore right now. Either I would get something and cut it and just get it over with (she's going to be in pain either way, think of it that way.. at least if you cut if off it's gone and you can work on getting her to heal up) or bandage it up and hope that it falls off quickly. When Stumpy's toes were falling off it seemed to take FOREVER. I wish I would have just cut them and got it over with. Try washing the area a little and putting some anti bacterial cream on it. Do it a few times a day to make sure that it stays clean. She'll most likely get out of her bandage anyway. We did all of that until she had a big enough scab and then we just took everything off and let her heal on her own while keeping a close watch on it.

 

[classicsredone]

It's normal for a wound to be warm. Hot, red, swollen, and with red streaking in the direction of the heart is always a bad thing, though. If you want to try to amputate the foot to save her, it might not hurt to give her antibiotics. I would clean the leg area very well before removing the foot with iodine if you have it, if not, soap and water. Then wrap up with some neosporin, gauze, and coban.

 

[Miss Lydia]

a good soak in some warm salty water would probably be okay or wash it real good in a betadine wash, make sure its good and dry before bandaging. If you think she's in pain you can give baby aspirin to chickens dissolve in warm water.. I can't remember the dosage but someone on here would probably know if you did a new post.

 

[mattdylan]

A friend just brought up a good question, does an amputated chicken have difficulty roosting?

 

[ruth]

Quote:
Sweetie, my hen, continued to sleep on the ground as she had her whole life. Peg Leg Pirate, the rooster, who at one time was head roo, would fly/hop onto the top of a brooder box that was in the coop and sleep there. You can always make a "handicapped" roost for them - something wide and low to the ground.

 

[Louise's Country Closet]

Mine does, but that doesn't stop her from trying lol. I let her sleep in the nest boxes because that's warmer for her there but she can darn near make it all the way up to the roost when she wants, she just doesn't have the steady balance to stay on a small ledge like that (but super good balance on the ground!)

 

[SamuelMcF]

Okay so since you are going to keep it I would clean the area as suggested above and the bandage your looking for is called vet wrap with many other generic nock offs but you don't want to just put that on as it gives no real protection to the wound. and It won't stay on very well by itself. It's designed to only stick to itself. You'll need a Telfa pad which you can find at your vet. It will protect the wound. then cover that with a cast padding and then the vet wrap.

 

[mattdylan]

I'd just like to send a big Thanks to everyone here. we amputated, and so far it seems like a success. She's already hobbling around on her bandaged stump in her dog-crate infirmary, and has quite an appetite. It was a lot easier than i anticipated, and she seems to be doing well.

 

[aubreynoramarie]

I just wanted to add that there's a pretty good thread on here that would be worth finding. It was from quite a few months ago and I do not recall the title but I still chuckle a bit thinking about it.

It was written by this bc member who had a chken that was always limping about. He would limp but he could still run and walk and scratch and what have you. So anyways, the byc member is out in the pen throwing scratch as usual and the chicken runs up as usual, but this time it trips and falls. No biggy, he gets back up and runs to the o.p. And pushes his way throgh to get some scratch. Upon this happening o.p. goes to see what the chicken had tripped over and laying there on the ground was his foot! His foot had just fallen off and he kept on running like it was the last scratch he'd ever eat!

Far as I remember that chicken was living just fine without his foot

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

That's the thing about chicken society, they attack anything that looks weak, including each other. So it is important that each individual bird act like it is in perfect health, right up until they keel over. It always amazes me how well they do with various injuries. We are more chickens-are-livestock as opposed to chickens-are-pets, so I would have culled, but I'm glad you are going to give saving her a try.