Funky Feet!

[Barn Mama]

Hi, I am new to hatching chick`s, and so far I don`t know if i should continue. I keep running into problems, I know it`s not a piece of cake......but I started in October 2012 and so far I have only hatched 2 chicks; which is fine, but both of my chicks have had issues...like 1. My first chick I found lifeless, kinda CPR`d it back to life ( rubbed it in a heating blanket and blew into its beak) and 2. My second chick I watched it hatch....so COOL! but when I went back after a while I found it on it`s back glued to the mesh, so I seringed it with warm water till I could get the chick off. Then all it`s "fur" wouldn`t fluff up because it was dried with the gooy stuff, so I sponge bathed it with warm water and put it directly back in the incubator. It`s body dried and got fluffy but not it`s head, I noticed that it had a crust over half it`s head, so I started applying vasoline till it was soft and could be taken off. In the mean time I noticed that it was born with Funky Feet, they were turned in and the chick could walk, it would take 2 steps then lay down. So I created these paddle like shoes, spread it toes the way they were to be and applied the "shoes" oh you should have seen the chick running around, Now after a week I took them off and they are a bit turned in still but the chick is running around fine, eating well and drinking well.........so I have 2 questions >: 1. am I doing something? and 2. what is normaly done for "funky feet"? and can my chick grow into a healthy chicken?



You can see my chick with the "shoes".

 

[kellysmall87]

With hatching chicks, I have found that most problems arise when there has been temperature fluctuations in the incubator and humidity problems. If the chicks hatch too wet and fail to dry up after hatching, it's usually a humidity problem (too high). This can cause the chick to drown in the egg, too. So my first bit of advice is check humidity and change the hydrometer in the incubator or add another one to double check that it's correct.
As for feet, humidity can cause this too as well as temp trouble. As can aiding a hatch. I aided a hatch on my silkie and it was born with 'funky feet' but they straightened out after a few days. You have done the right thing with regards to making shoes!
Don't give up on hatching, it's amazing. But if you are really put off by hatching your own, buy a silkie to do the work for you. They're always broody!

 

[Barn Mama]

Thank you for the advice. I know its not a temp problem, my incubator is in a temp regulated room, and incubator temp stays the same. But it could be the humidity....I think I will buy a digital one. I don`t think I will stop hatching, it is fun!

 

[kellysmall87]

Do you know about raising the temp and humidity in the last few days of hatching? I am pretty sure you do.. but just to make sure, you do raise them. Good luck hatching more! I love it tooo!!!

 

[stevetone]

I seem to recall reading that deformed feet are usually caused by incubation temperature problems. The rate of development in the egg is adversely affected by fluctuating temperatures, causing abnormal growth patterns.

I know you said that your incubation temperature was not in question, but if it was me, I would start my investigation there.

 

[JodiLynn]

Barn Mama, I was in the same boat as you just a couple of months ago. I bought a havobator with auto turner and followed directions to the letter. I managed to drown 17 eggs (and most were shipped). I had 6 hatch, one culled becaused it was suffereing with badly deformed feet and I had to make booties for two more. thankfully this worked and they are doing great. Soon after I bought a little giant to use as a hatcher. For the next several months I was overheating my chicks, more dying, and lots of sticky chicks. And yes I to gave chicks a warm bath on several occassions. I decided to follow some advice and get a digital hydrometer and a couple of thermometers. Turns out my temp was right on the money with the havobator but the humidity was way off. It was reading very low when really it was really high. So I put the little giant away and ordered anouther havobator for a hatcher and concentrated on humidity. I live in SC and the humidity can get high here, so I decided to try the dry incubation method. What could it hurt, I was already killing 80% of my chicks. I do not add water to my havobator during days 1-18 unless it drops below 25% (bator reading) then I add a teaspoonful at a time. I do not even worry about it, and on day 18 I move them to the hatcher havobator that has all water troughs filled up. I am now up to a 95%-100% hatch rate with NO leg/feet problems. I to was about to give up and now I have chicks hatching as we speak, all on time, and they all just pop right out of the egg. I hope this can help you, because it is worth it! You just have to find what works for you.

 

[kellysmall87]

Glad that you have success now JodiLynn.

 

[chippysmom327]

My friend had a chicken with tumors on it's feet, and it can function just fine. Another one of my friends had a chicken with a sideways beak and only one leg and it lived to be 10! I'm sure yours will be awkward for a little while, but they'll get through it!

 

[pluckylucky]

It could be bad genetics, improper turning of the eggs or too much temperature changes during incubation. I had problems with a few Light Sussex (genetics) What breed did you hatch?

 

[Barn Mama]

Thank you to everyone who replied, great advice!