Crooked toes - how old to too late to treat?

[kateseidel]

Got chicks from a local breeder; the two Rhode Island reds both have crooked toes - curled sideways not under. The chicks are 4 weeks old - is it too late to try and boot the babies to correct the toes? They seem to be getting worse...

 

[Megan Amber]

Never to late to try anything! I think at four weeks you still have a shot! Good Luck.

 

[kynewbchickie]

I have the same thing going on in one of my three-week-old Aussies. Where can we get these boots?

 

[Megan Amber]

I actually have never heard of pre-made boots so I don't know. But there are two way's I know that you can do yourself.

#1 Take a piece of cardboard that fits under his foot and tape it in place. It should look like he is wearing a sandal. Then you can tape the toes straight on the top. He won't like it very much but remember you know whats better.

#2 You could try to wrap thee toes with tape tight enough to wear they are straight but not so tight they fall off!

Hope I helped.

 

[kynewbchickie]

Thank you! I'll cut out some cardboard - I'll need to run into town to get some medical tape as I'm out.

 

[Megan Amber]

Cool! If you can, keep us posted!

 

[kynewbchickie]

We splinted Sissy tonight (that's what my husband named her).




She got special treats (a couple of mealworms) for being such a great patient!




When we put her back in the brooder with her 29 flockmates, things turned ugly pretty quickly - chickens are curious little critters, so naturally they all wanted to check out the apparatus on Sissy's foot - which led to some nasty pecking at it. She kept trying to get away from the others, to no avail - so we isolated her inside the brooder. We used a circle of poultry fencing so she and the others could remain in as close contact as possible, yet they wouldn't be able to get at her and cause any injuries. We gave her a feeder and waterer, which thoroughly upset the other flockmates ("Hey, why does SHE get her OWN feeder and waterer?!").




Everything I've read says to resplint every week according to growth for as long as necessary for it to straighten out - so we're going to do that. If it's not looking better by the time we move them outside to their pasture and coop, I'll have our vet come check it out to see what can be done. Here's hoping!

 

[Megan Amber]

Awesome! You did an excellent job!! Glad it worked out in the end! Such a pretty little chick too!

 

[kynewbchickie]

Sissy pecked off the medical tape in a matter of two days' time. We're now having to devise a different plan of action to straighten out those toes with a way she can't peck it off. I'd imagine it's just like us having to wear a cast - it gets itchy and irritating - but it's for the best.

 

[Megan Amber]

Hmmm, well drat! I'll try to think up other ways too!