[Bikerene]

I have 3 hens and one of them has a sore toe.  I returned from work on Tuesday to find blood all over the run and all 3 hens in the coop.  I bathed the sore toe in salty water, sprayed purple spray and separated the injured hen. This separation continued during the day but at night I put them back in together as I don't have another house for her to sleep in.  The hens can see each other all the time during the day and thursday and friday I let them be all together for 30mins before they went to bed - they were closely supervised and no real squabbles occurred.  This morning all seemed well, the toes was looking real good, put the 3 out together and observed for about and hour, went to make a cup of tea and now the toes is bleeding the hens looks sad and lame.  Cleaned up the wound, more purple spray and back in isolation.  She has been eating, drinking and pooing fine.  I have checked for mites/lice etc.  All clear as far as I can see. She has been looking moving around with slight lameness, lying down on the grass occasionally but generally getting around and going about her business.  I have checked and re checked the run and house to see if she cold have caught her toes in anything and I have drawn a blank. Anything else I can do, I am a novice hen keeper and this is the first time anything like this has happened.  
Any advice/ direction would be very much appreciated.

Bikerene

[lill]

Hi,
It seems that one of your other hens are pecking at her toes, I do not know how you would be able to stop it, (well i do i would think of having it for dinner) if that was what was happening. I have had hens for years and put some of the hens in another area and then go back together again and they do have a fight but settle down after a couple of hours

[doganjo]

But don't they usually go for the combs rather than the feet, Lillian?  Any arguments mine have had over the last 12 years have resulted in bleeding combs or backs of necks, not feet.  I'd be inclined to check the toe caarefully to see what kind of tear it is and look moer closely at their run.  Perhaps a tree branch or even a small nail sticking out of their run.  I'd also keep her isolated in the daytime for a good week to give it time to heal properly, not just day or so.

[Bikerene]

Thank you for your replies. I appreciate you taking the time.  I had a good look again at the coop and run today and can't find anythings sharp that would cause the wound.  My lovely husband has built a little separate run today, a bit more secure so we can leave her in there during the day next week and I agree Doganjo it might need to be for a week or so until completely healed. 

[robert waddell]

your type of soil    flints glass discarded metal that is buried         hens scrape hence the feet      a small cut can be made worse by others pecking (something different and curious)

[mmu]

I know you've been watching her, but could she be pecking her own toe.  Something must have made it bleed to begin with, but now, maybe it's just annoying her.  I think keeping her on her own until you see what happens is the only way.

[Bikerene]

Update - hens toes healing well, still in isolation during the day but all together for last half an hour before bedtime.  This last 30mins is closely supervised and if I turn my back they are there and ready to have a go at her toes again.  All is settled when the go in the coop.  Any suggestions as to how I get the other 2 not to peck her feet and how long should I leave the injured hen before putting them together in the run during the day?

[doganjo]

There's no rush to put tehm back together is there?  Leave her until the toe is absolutely completely healed.

[jaykay]

They need something else to do. Put straw down then scatter corn in it, when you put the victim back in. Hopefully this will break the habit.

[princesspiggy]

use the anti-pecking spray, it does work.

[Bikerene]

I still have them separated, though every evening they are getting longer supervised ranging together - it is a delight standing in the tipping rain for an hour watching over them and waiting for them to decide to go to bed I can tell you!  Doganjo - you are correct there is not rush to put them back and so I will wait until toes are completely healed, I will put in some straw and will get the anti peck spray too for good measure! Thanks for all the advice, much appreciated.

[Heather]

I bandaged a hen's foot with cloth wrapped round and it stayed on just fine.  I replaced it each day for 3 days. 

[Bikerene]

update - thought I would try the now pretty much healed hen with one of her companions and put the trouble maker in isolation.  Turned my back to fasten the enclosure door and you guessed it the calder ranger attacked the rhode rock.  So much for that calder being the quite one. Back to square one and the rhode rock is back in isolation......

[Sandy]

WHops, they just do not like each other i guess, thanks for the up date, I wondered how things were going!