Feed store chick with mutilated feet

[Callista15]

I was running out of feed today, and stopped by a rather unsavory feed store, one that I swore off after rescuing one "resale" hen from it(the link: http://forums.avianavenue.com/index.php?threads/so-mad.129088/ ), as I was unable to stop by our excellent one due to it being quite far away, especially during rush hour. I figured just this once, what will it hurt? The birds are hungry. I went by the chick bins and saw a horrifying sight: one chick sprawled bloody on the ground, its tarred feet(sometimes they put pine tar on their feet to try to stop mutilation) covered with fresh blood, with the other chicks ripping it up. I didn't really want another bird that might soon die, not with Jamie's death still fresh in my mind. I told the clerk that one of the babies was getting injured by the others. She went over to the bin, and told me it was "normal" and that "they would settle it". That decided it. I took the baby out, and told her I was buying it. Now I need help. Her feet are really bad, and she can only hobble a bit. She's also dehydrated, due to her inability to get to the food and water. I've been spoon feeding her water and hand feeding formula, and I will clean the tar off her feet(am I right to be worried about the tar trapping an infection underneath?), clean the wounds underneath, and bandage her feet. I've currently got her in a box partially walled off so she can control her temperature despite her mobility problems just by scooting a couple steps. Is there anything else I should do? I will be sleeping in the living room and I have an alarm set every hour so I can check on her. By the way, her name is Professor Bird.

 

[KimKim]

So sad Sorry I have no advice. Hope it makes it, good luck.

 

[Callista15]

She's been struggling to walk. I took another look at the toes; they seem shrunken, like the tar is cutting off the blood supply. I hope she doesn't lose them. I am so angry at those people. They never take care of what they're given. First Penny, now this.

 

[Anne & Gang]

the poor little tykey..you might also try putting food very near by her head and water too...thanks for caring for her..I do suggest you bring her to a vet. those people at that feed sto re ought to be shot

 

[CrystalLeo]

That is just terrible ! Do you maybe have an Avian Vet close by? Or even a normal vet would do, doesn't matter if Professor Bird is a chicken, they should give help when asked.
Are you able to clean the tar away without injuring her much further? I have no idea of what might be able to help get it off. I'm not sure if the tar would be able to cut off circulation but it is possible, although it might very possibly hide infections underneath.
I hope you get good advice soon.
Keep us updated!

 

[Birdbabe]

I'm not sure what is needed to remove the tar, maybe warm water and dawn dishwashing liquid. Hydrate, hydrate and hydrate some more. Maybe even some A and D ointment for the wounds. Poor little thing, I hope she makes it. Bad people at the feed store.

 

[CrystalLeo]

I'm not sure what is needed to remove the tar, maybe warm water and dawn dishwashing liquid. Hydrate, hydrate and hydrate some more. Maybe even some A and D ointment for the wounds. Poor little thing, I hope she makes it. Bad people at the feed store.

Very Bad People

 

[Callista15]

She still can't walk any better, but she'll eat on her own if I carry her to the food and water. She is pretty perky this morning. She started cheeping when I left. Hopefully she may have a chance.

 

[lupe]

I reading this going OMG! how could anyone ignore such a horrid site!! thank goodness you took this lil angel in...hope she makes it....

 

[Cara]

Horrible! My vet is awesome with chickens and geese, but we are on the wrong side of the country.

 

[dmiller91]

So happy you rescued her! I would have done that too. My sweet bird lost most of her toes to frostbite. I would have fed her with a dropper if I had to!!! Love the cheeps!

 

[Callista15]

Crystalleo, I do have an avian vet, I've taken my chickens there before multiple times. I'm planning on taking Professor Bird once she gets a bit bigger, or if she starts having serious trouble. I just don't want to expose her to a lot of dieases when she's too little for many medical procedures to be safe anyway. I will if I have to, but I'd prefer not to.

 

[Lockwood]

Since the chick isn't with other chicks anymore, you don't have to worry about the blood or red wounds drawing the others to pick at him. Poultry are strongly attracted to the color red and i'm guessing that may be why they tried the tar. You can use plain old Neosporin ( for humans) or A and D like mentioned above, or something mild to keep the flesh soft, clean, and not scabby. I've used Neosporin on one day old chicks without a problem. I'm not sure you need to bandage the feet, but you could try keeping the chick on paper towels instead of bedding. The paper towels will give the chick some grip so it won't slip yet isn't dusty and won't stick. Don't use newspaper, it's too slippery for chicks.

Your doing the right thing by keeping the chick warm, protected, and hydrated with it's food nearby. It can be surprising how well chicks can come back from injuries. I had a poult (turkey peep) slice it's side deeply open from neck to rump on the eggshell during hatching. After cleaning baby up and using Neosporin the next few weeks and keeping baby on paper towels to keep everything clean, baby healed up very well.

Good luck with your new chick

 

[Callista15]

I know why they tried the tar. It's just a plain bad idea, and a short cut you use if you don't want to bother giving the birds proper care. I typically try massaging Blue Rub into their feet, it's a ointment that is nontoxic, tastes horrible, and relives pain and accelerates healing on top of it all.

The good news: Professor Bird is up and walking.
The bad news: I removed the tar, and turns out she's going to lose half of each affected toe. Also, the outside chickens are extremely aggressive, and she's going to have balance issues, so she may have to stay indoors with the smaller, mellower, Seramas.
More good news: despite rolling in a dirty brooder before having tar smeared on her wounds, there appears to be no infection. We will be taking her in for a checkup at two weeks, earlier if problems occur.

 

[Birdbabe]

Yay, just keep those feeties clean as possible. Kiss that little baby for me, Thank you for helping her.

 

[Callista15]

She seems to be having trouble learning to eat. My mom thinks she's brain damaged, and was either that way from hatching, triggering the other babies bullying, or that she had her head conked on the side of the brooder during the bullying. She's s-l-o-w-l-y learning to eat on her own, and when I felt her crop this morning to see how much I'd need to feed her, I could feel grain! You go, girl! She's been growing steadily, and not losing any weight. She's been eating about a teaspoon at each feeding(granted, the feedings are about six hours apart, but still). A whole lot for such a little chicken! She's been bonding with Erin(the baby Duchess nearly killed; you can read the full story here: Help! Dehydrated serama chicks, what do I do? | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum ), and if I leave Erin in the brooder while feeding Professor Bird, I will hear about it for sure. I'll post pictures soon.

 

[Birdbabe]

Maybe she needs a friend to show her what to do..

 

[Callista15]

I talked to an owner of a special needs chicken named Derpella. She's also had several others and is good with them. She gave me some good advice, and some hope.

 

[Callista15]

I just gave her her evening feeding. She had two and a half syringes worth as usual. But she started trying to eat the excess formula off the end of the syringe, so I brought over a small teaspoon and dipped it in the formula. Success! She ate out of it! And she's growing an adorable little blue stub of a tail.
(You can tell Dafhne is a bit attention starved. Poor Daf, stuck photo bombing chicken pictures.)

 

[Birdbabe]

OMG!!! Cuteness!!