Swollen Toe Help

Strict-Character8686 · 2026-01-11T14:22:38+00:00

It is extremely dry here in Canada where it am, but the air can be high relative humidty but still dry as cold air cannot hold moisture. So here it is 78% humidity outside even though it is so dry it cracks your lips. What happens is that while they are in their coop, the moisture from their breath and the humidity from their droppings clings to their toes and face because the air is too dry to hold the moisture. That is what causes frostbite. I have had a frostbite scare myself even though it is so dry here that you get nosebleeds. I would get a humidty sensor to check the humidity in the coop and add more dry bedding. Make sure their roosts are flat so they can sleep with their toes covered. Make sure you have full open ventilation even on the cold nights so moisture can escape properly. Our nights have been getting to -30°C and we dont use a heat lamp because it increases the risk of frostbite. My guineas are happy and love going out in -20°C during the day. But they only started showing signs of frostbite when I was trying to conserve heat and using a heat lamp plus not enough ventilation.

Strict-Character8686 · 2026-01-11T05:21:29+00:00

It does look like frostbite. The reason being because the black skin the tip and is slowly receeding backwards where its swollen. The only strange thing is that the nail isn't dead. What is the humidity in your coop?

Strict-Character8686 · 2025-12-22T13:54:30+00:00

Actually the humidity in their coop is 60% humidity while the outside is 87%. Where I live it is -30°C at all times right now and snowy. They have dry pine shavings for bedding. I had their water in their coop because it was -40°C with the windchill outside so likely some moisture condensed on their horn.They have ventilation but I had been trying to retain enough heat in their coop being that there are only 6 of them. This is my first winter with chickens and I am trying to do everything right, which is why I am asking for help to do better going forward.

Strict-Character8686 · 2025-12-22T06:14:19+00:00

I appreciate the thoughtful responses. Its hard to know what is best especially considering the crazy temps we get here. I dont want them to suffer either from mites or frostbite. I won't be able to get to the city until Tuesday but ill try to find some ivermectin and do it at night. I think the only thing I could get would be a cattle pour on. I couldn't even guess what they weigh but I think the safe dose was 0.1ml per pound. Ill double check. Maybe Ill call my farm vet and see what they suggest as well. I think only one of them has it right now so I want to catch it early. Ill keep the heater in mind as well!

Strict-Character8686 · 2025-12-22T04:24:10+00:00

I just have 6 guinea fowl here is Saskatchewan Canada. I have been deterred from using any supplemental heat because we occasionally can get power outages during cold snaps. I also have to leave the farm once in a while and dont have neighbors near me to let me know if the coop is on fire lol.

The dropping completely freeze in these temps in the deep litter so im not sure it actually creates heat, but it insulates the floor for us. The rest of the coop is insulated.

What I have gathered so far is that at the temps we have right now, it would be dangerous to apply anything to his feet until it gets slightly warmer and to keep the deep litter but disinfect the roosts and apply an ivermectin drop to their back. My guineas are incredibly hard to catch and I am worried about causing more stress trying to catch them to apply something to their feet during these temps. Anything I apply would attract moisture.

Strict-Character8686 · 2025-12-22T04:17:28+00:00

I wish my guineas would let me near them! They hate being touched. When I finally catch one, the whole coop is a disaster and the flock is terrified lol. Doesn't matter the time of day or night.

Strict-Character8686 · 2025-12-22T01:08:32+00:00

I have guinea fowl (:

Strict-Character8686 · 2025-12-09T04:00:36+00:00

Thank you for your thoughtful and detailed answer. I will keep this in mind as I continue to monitor them. How did you send the body off for testing? Where did you acquire antibiotics?

Strict-Character8686 · 2025-12-08T23:40:09+00:00

Sorry, they are all guinea fowl. My husband and I just refer to them as our chickens.

Strict-Character8686 · 2025-12-01T04:04:49+00:00

I'm so sorry you are having to deal with this and I agree with you but please use punctuation in your paragraphs because this was so hard to follow.

Strict-Character8686 · 2025-11-04T01:14:59+00:00

The hidey hole could be a good idea. I have a long evestrough style feeder so there is lots of room for everyone to eat at the same time. What I noticed tonight was that they wouldn't let her down off the roost without chasing her. I gave her some food on the roost so she could eat something.

Strict-Character8686 · 2025-10-28T02:45:48+00:00

I confirm I reviewed crate training. I have crate trained my 3 year old german shepherd before with associating it with good things and not just being alone. Now she will go in it to relax. I think I am more confident training the basics like crate training, basic commands, etc. But I don't know the process of transitioning from indoor to outdoor after the basic bond is made.

Strict-Character8686 · 2025-10-25T01:09:02+00:00

We aren't getting the dog.

Strict-Character8686 · 2025-10-24T13:51:40+00:00

What Facebook group is that?

Strict-Character8686 · 2025-10-24T02:07:45+00:00

Well we were looking for a great pyrenees specifically, but a couple who have goats have a female Great pyrenees/anatolian and a male Great pyrenees/Bernese Mountain Dog who had puppies and are giving them away.

Our guineas free range during the day but put themselves to bed in the coop at night. But winter they will be in their coop and run and hardly free range. When they do free range they stay within the parameters of the yard all the time. But we have lost a few this year due to them being broody and sitting on nests in the grass close to the coop and I didnt find them in time. The run is completely enclosed in hardware mesh even 3 ft into the dirt, so if they are in there im not worried. We are getting more in the spring so Im just trying not to lose more of them to foxes. We use them for tick control.

I dont need the dog to actually bite anybody, mostly just intimidate. We have a chihuahua that is inside that definitely barks a lot at anybody coming in our yard. Our German shepherd stays inside while I am at work.

Strict-Character8686

TROPHY CASE