HELP! curled toes in 2 week old chicks

[l'abeille]

I'm brooding 27 chicks under a heatlamp on pine shavings and feeding chick starter, hatched feb 5. They seemed fine and I went away for the weekend and had a friend check them twice a day. At some point last night between 11 pm and 7 am their heat lamp bulb went out and it got down to maybe 50-60F. This morning was the first time I have seen the chicks in a few days. We changed the bulb immediately and most chicks seem fine, having nice feathered wings and partial back feathers already. However 4 chicks have curled toes and cannot walk.

I have separated the lame chicks and gave everyone some scrambled egg and put some B vitamins in everyone's water.

What else should I do? What is the likely cause? Could they go lame over a few hours of chilling or has this probably been developing while I was gone (my friend didn't notice anything wrong but is not experienced with chicks).

I really want to help these babies to walk again! Thanks for any advice.

 

[Iheartchicks<3:)]

I dont know, but bump!

 

[<3ChickenForever]

Pipe cleaners help then wrap it around with tape.
OR
put a band-aid around it and cut it down so it'll fit the toes more
go to this website and scroll down, it'll help
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/BRKRaisingChicks.html

 

[FMAFarms]

If their foot bones are still soft enough (and I'm assuming they are, since this just happened) use either first aid tape (white adhesive tape) or some standard bandaids and carefully straighten out each toe, wrapping it in the tape or bandaid for support. You'll feel weird doing it, but it's for the best for your chicks. A note, though, that you won't want to use the chicks with crooked toes as breeders, since they can pass the crooked-toe tndency to their chicks. Good luck!

 

[SunnyCalifornia]

YAY!! I can actually help with a problem!! I usually don't know the answers, as I'm kind of new to this. Check out the video below, it shows how to make chicken shoes. The chick in the video is my OEGB rooster. His feet are perfectly fine now, after a few weeks with shoes. One toe is slightly crooked, but it would take a sharp eye to ever even know what his feet used to look like. The person making the video is our 4H leader, we got the chick from her once he was all fixed up.

Chicken Shoes Video

 

[l'abeille]

Thanks for the helpful replies so far. I should clarify that the toes aren't actually crooked. They are perfectly straight but the chicks are keeping them all balled up in a little fist. I did put on chick shoes and this is helping some of them. The others are walking on the TOP of the flattened out foot.

Could this be a vitamin deficiency? will they get better?

 

[Chickengal505]

How long have their toes been curled in? I know what your talking about... try a foot massage in warm water. It may not help much but I would imagine it would feel relly good.

 

[True Grit]

If you aren't giving the chicks vitamins I would start. I use vitamins I got online for livestock called Vi-Tal I think but some folks on here recommend childrens' Poly Vi Sol withOUT iron.

 

[l'abeille]

the toes have been curled only for a day or so. How do i give the polyvisol?

 

[l'abeille]

Just wanted to give an update. I started giving polyvisol and saw gradual improvement over several days. I don't think the she's were needed for this. First they started straigtening their toes and were really wobbly on their legs. Some are fully recovered and a couple are almost there. Thanks everyone for your help!