Will she loose the toe? Frostbite...

[JLaw]

I have a younger girl that desided to stay out side the coop for 3 nights and she got frost bite on her toes about 2 weeks ago. The foot was originally white and puffy. I soaked it for first 6 days and kept it wrapped with vet wrap and Neosporin. On the 3-4th day I messed up and popped the blister and then read up and see that I shouldn't have. I left it unwrapped after day six because I thought it might need to air out and might be staying too moist. I was also worried about wrapping it with the swelling.

It seems like its healing ok but I'm worried about her middle toe falling off or getting infected. It was the most swollen toe and actually was bleeding alittle when it first happened. I've not made it bend but I've tried flexing it alittle and it resisted movement so I stopped right away This was when it first happened. Now I'm afraid to even try because it looks like its starting to thin up and I'm not sure if it will break off.

What should I do or can I do to help her from ether loosing the toe (which aint the big deal) or getting an infection which is what I'm mainly worried about.

Heres some pics. She is kept inside until this heals up to how ever it's going to pan out. I can try to get better pics if needed.





No my right hand aint freakishly small that's my son helping hold her down. lol

 

[Eggcessive]

It looks like she could lose part of the middle toe. I think continuing with the Neosporin and no dressing is good. Do not massage the foot since that could damage it. Here is a good link for frostbite: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/842760/frost-bitten-feet

 

[JLaw]

It looks like she could lose part of the middle toe. I think continuing with the Neosporin and no dressing is good. Do not massage the foot since that could damage it. Here is a good link for frostbite: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/842760/frost-bitten-feet

Thanks checked it out.

 

[gander007]

You need to cut off the middle toe before the infection spreads and then no foot at all .....

 

[JLaw]

You need to cut off the middle toe before the infection spreads and then no foot at all .....

Your the first person that's said to cut the toe off. I've yet to read anything saying cut it off. Everything says if its bad it will fall off on its own. She's inside so not like the frostbite will spread anymore.

 

[ten chicks]

Your the first person that's said to cut the toe off. I've yet to read anything saying cut it off. Everything says if its bad it will fall off on its own. She's inside so not like the frostbite will spread anymore.

Toe only needs to be removed if gangrene is present,otherwise it will shrivel up and fall off. Just watch for signs of infection such as: swelling,foul smell.bird becoming lethargic,not eating/drinking,necrotic tissue spreading further along toe/foot/leg.

 

[Eggcessive]

I wouldn't cut it off either, since several on here have lost toes and even both feet without removing them. Disclaimer--I haven't treated it before, but there are plenty of posts about frostbite over the last 2 weeks.

 

[JLaw]

I wouldn't cut it off either, since several on here have lost toes and even both feet without removing them. Disclaimer--I haven't treated it before, but there are plenty of posts about frostbite over the last 2 weeks.

Yeah I been looking at them some trying to make sure I do right thing. I pretty much settled on Neosporin no wrapping. And if it gets infected i'll have to get some penicillin. I saw the one where the chicken lost both feet and only has nubs. The feet just fell off. So sad but at least it's alive still.

 

[Eggcessive]

Even in humans, extremeties aren't amputated right away, since there can be improvement, and you might take off too much too soon. Overhead ventilation, and no open pans of water in extreme cold weather is important. Here are 2 more links about frostbite--causes, prevention, and treatment:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2013/12/frostbit-in-backyard-chickens-causes.html
http://www.tillysnest.com/2013/01/frostbite-and-backyard-chickens.html

 

[JLaw]

Even in humans, extremeties aren't amputated right away, since there can be improvement, and you might take off too much too soon. Overhead ventilation, and no open pans of water in extreme cold weather is important. Here are 2 more links about frostbite--causes, prevention, and treatment:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2013/12/frostbit-in-backyard-chickens-causes.html
http://www.tillysnest.com/2013/01/frostbite-and-backyard-chickens.html

I know what caused this she was sleeping out side on a pallet for 2-3 nights in a row where ice was forming on top of the pallet. She is only like 2-3 months old now and small so wasn't enough heat for the feet that and I think she may have had her toes hanging on edge of pallet. We was miss counting chickens cause I took most my EE's and put in small coop to be given away and thought I had more in there than I did. They stayed locked up while big coop got to free range and we thought she was in small coop which we didnt count cause it was locked up for a few days till the when to a new home.