[mandarincloth]

hi all ive recently brought some hens after i lost all 9 of my silkies to a fox.

i have made a fort to protect my latest hens which are white sussex bluebell and a brown speckeled. anyway the bluebell seems to have trod in a poo which has stuck on the end of her claw which looks like a large pea on the tip of her claw.

ive just tried to hold her on her back and try to crumble the muck off but its rock hard?!

now i dont want to hurt her but would it be ok to try and break it up by carfully using some pliers?

or am i totally wrong and its some kind of condition?

many thanks

[GrannieAnnie]

I had a hybrid with that problem but her 'lump' was the size of a golf ball as I hadn't noticed it in with the 200 other girls!  But with a smaller amount, sometimes you can just gently twist it off, or try to soak it for a bit in arm water to loosen it, then pull it off.

you have to be careful with pliers that you don't cut the claw as well.

[Jeanette]

Soak her foot in some warm water and it will come of easier.

[mandarincloth]

well i went in the pen yesterday and looked to see if it was still there and its gone! i think she must of gone to the chiropodist?