I have a question about something I see on one of my chicken's foot. It is on the end where the toe nail 'should' be...there is a black looking ball there instead of the nail. I thought it was poo because of the color but I got to looking at it closer because it had not fallen off like I thought poo should do after a day of scratching around. Anyway, is it anything I should worry about? I looked online for something but most are about bumble foot or mites...
Thanks, Danielle
Newbie question
Might be a ball of poop that got hard. Happened to my duck that stays with the chickens.
Cajun - I tried to scrape or gently pull it off...it didn't come off. It felt kinda bumpy when I was touching it. If the bird wasn't squirming and squawking so much I would have tried a little harder to pull at it. I also was a little afraid to pull too hard at it and make it bleed.
I had a time getting them off my duck.
Well, I may have to pull out the pocket knife and see if I can get it off. Hopefully, I can get some assistance with the squirmy patient from either hubby or son.
You could try soaking it, or wrapping it in wet cloth until it softens a bit. I've had something similar happen, and it seems to have been dried remnants of chick crumbles that had turned into cement after being wet.
I got some Japanese at an auction and all of them had those.some were so big they were almost like golf balls! you have to get them off as they will kill the toe.I used a pair of pliers to break them up being careful not to pinch where to toe is but to the sides taking lil chunks at a time until i got them all off.Its a real job but most of those chickens were loosing their toes so they had to come off.Once off the toes healed quickley and the chickens were so happy they were running and scraching again in no time.I tryed soaking them but they were s tight it really dident do anything but make the outside slimey. good luck getting them off.I hope it goes easy for ya.
Well I got a little more aggressive with pulling at it this morning. I got a good hold of it with my fingernails and in a couple of tugs it came off. Chick didn't like it much but it is OK now.
Thanks all!
Glad you got it of.
Glad it went well.