Help my chicken's foot is injured

My polish chicken's left foot is injured or is becoming deformed. I noticed about two days ago that he was not walking well and now he sits and I have to bring him food and water.

This is when his foot was normal



This is with me holding him. His left foot is turning in compared to his right.


This is when he has his weight on it.

Is there anyone who can tell me if there is anything I can do to help him. He is still inside and was about to be moved outside during the day with the other three pullets I have. I think that he may have had a scuffle with one of the others and hurt himself. I would also like to know if I should try to move him out or just let him rest inside by himself. This is my first time having to treat an injured chicken. My mom grew up on a farm but she doesn't know either because my grandpa would have just killed him. He is still a handsome boy though and I don't even eat meat so the thought of having to kill him really kinda freaks me out.

You can make him a shoe by taking a piece of cardboard and cutting it into a kite shape a little bigger than his normal foot. Place his bad foot on the cardboard and spread out his toes in a normal position. Tape a piece of duct tape and press it down around each toe to hold it in place. You may need a couple pieces and wrap the extra under the shoe. Take a thin piece of tape and put a piece from one side of the shoe, around the back of his ankle to the other side, making a heel strap to keep the shoe from sliding off.keep him seperated from the others with food and shallow water close by. Keep him on a non slip surface while he has the shoe on.also, what are you feeding him?

I am feeding him chick scratch still. I got him 2/27 and he was about 3weeks. They are quiet large though.

chickenzoo said:

You can make him a shoe by taking a piece of cardboard and cutting it into a kite shape a little bigger than his normal foot. Place his bad foot on the cardboard and spread out his toes in a normal position. Tape a piece of duct tape and press it down around each toe to hold it in place. You may need a couple pieces and wrap the extra under the shoe. Take a thin piece of tape and put a piece from one side of the shoe, around the back of his ankle to the other side, making a heel strap to keep the shoe from sliding off.keep him seperated from the others with food and shallow water close by. Keep him on a non slip surface while he has the shoe on.also, what are you feeding him?

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I had a chicken that was born like that. She was healthy and did everything else that all the other chickens did. When got her as a day old chick my husband made her a brace out of cardboard and taped it on there. We kept it like that for a couple of weeks but then realized that this is just how she was made. I have read somewhere that it might be due to the temperature during incubation and happens from time to time. I have not had any other chickens like that. I think he will be just fine outside with the rest as long as he can walk good.

I made a shoe for him but the other foot is now turning in and his ankles also. He now has shoes on both feet and walks around better but it is not looking good right now.

chickenzoo said:

You can make him a shoe by taking a piece of cardboard and cutting it into a kite shape a little bigger than his normal foot. Place his bad foot on the cardboard and spread out his toes in a normal position. Tape a piece of duct tape and press it down around each toe to hold it in place. You may need a couple pieces and wrap the extra under the shoe. Take a thin piece of tape and put a piece from one side of the shoe, around the back of his ankle to the other side, making a heel strap to keep the shoe from sliding off.keep him seperated from the others with food and shallow water close by. Keep him on a non slip surface while he has the shoe on.also, what are you feeding him?

Click to expand...

I made a shoe for one foot and now I have one on the other foot. His ankles are going in also and he does not walk well. He started out good but as he is growing they are turning in.

Melinda35 said:

I had a chicken that was born like that. She was healthy and did everything else that all the other chickens did. When got her as a day old chick my husband made her a brace out of cardboard and taped it on there. We kept it like that for a couple of weeks but then realized that this is just how she was made. I have read somewhere that it might be due to the temperature during incubation and happens from time to time. I have not had any other chickens like that. I think he will be just fine outside with the rest as long as he can walk good.

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Just a thought.... might he have a vitamin deficiency of some kind? It wouldn't hurt to give him vitamins - polyvisol - until someone has a better idea. From what you're saying, I understand it's just started happening - it wasn't this way at birth right? You also said you're giving scratch? If it's really scratch, that's not enough nutrition. They should be on Grower Feed.

I'm going to the feed store right now so I'll get some.

klmclain1 said:

Just a thought.... might he have a vitamin deficiency of some kind? It wouldn't hurt to give him vitamins - polyvisol - until someone has a better idea. From what you're saying, I understand it's just started happening - it wasn't this way at birth right? You also said you're giving scratch? If it's really scratch, that's not enough nutrition. They should be on Grower Feed.

Click to expand...