So I got our first chick... unplanned... with two clubbed feet.

[mp5girl]

OK So I am the biggest sucker. A store I frequent for produce brought in baby chicks last week. I had been talking to them for several months about chickens and ducks with plans to start my flock after Easter, talking about feed, about breeds, pros and cons. Well today, while getting some potatoes, they asked if I'd be interested in 'trying' a baby chick because they had one with two clubbed feet because the poor thing got stuck in its egg. So it was all by itself (so the others wouldn't kill it) and there was no charge for it , it'd likely become a cat or snake meal otherwise, AND I can bring the little guy back if it's too much.

So I have a baby disabled chick on my dining room table right now. LOL

My questions are:

I read clubbed feet can be corrected if caught early enough. This little guy is JUST getting in it's feathers... it's not too old right? I can put some corrective things on it's feet still?

Are chicks ok alone? Or did I just get double suckered because they need other chick friends?

I don't know why I do these things to myself.

 

[CarolinaHen]

I have a Brahma hen with webbed feet, and a Silkie hen with wonky toes also. Both of them get along just fine with the rest of my flock. I'm a sucker for the underdog too!

I have helped several chicks out that have foot issues. Take some tape and make a flat surface for it if you can. Make it sort of like a duck foot for it. This may help. Post pics of the foot and we can probably give you a better idea of what's going on. If not, and the chick is able to get around, get it a friend and enjoy your new buddy.

 

[mp5girl]

Thank you! I'll get a couple pictures. I've been massaging them. They seem reparable.

 

[mp5girl]

Here's a couple pictures:

 

[jonalisa]

Chickens are social animals and shouldn't be alone. Three is a recommended number so that if one dies, you won't have one left alone.

 

[LingaB]

She looks like she has curled toes. I have one Speckled Sussex that has feet like that. One foot is worse that the other. I have been wrapping her toes straight with vet wrap or sport wrap. It seems to be helping a little, but I think I need to make her some shoes since now the toes on the outside seem to be splaying.

Here is a couple pics.

 

[CarolinaHen]

She looks like she has curled toes. I have one Speckled Sussex that has feet like that. One foot is worse that the other. I have been wrapping her toes straight with vet wrap or sport wrap. It seems to be helping a little, but I think I need to make her some shoes since now the toes on the outside seem to be splaying.

Here is a couple pics.

Great job on the splints!

 

[mp5girl]

Our Peeps passed away yesterday morning. Guess it wasn't meant to be.

 

[CarolinaHen]

Our Peeps passed away yesterday morning. Guess it wasn't meant to be.

So sorry.

 

[mp5girl]

My daughter decided she wanted to stop by and tell the nice shop owners that the little chick passed away (and to get strawberries). They gave their condolences and offered 3 more challenged babies to bring home and give some loves too. This time we had a different approach to the 'project' and decided we'd give them their best chance in a loving environment but we're expecting them to pass away. So if one makes it, it'll be a happy accident. (And the shop owners will likely have more late next week.)

Well this little bunch has one new challenge I'm not sure what to do about. They are all less than 48 hours old, red sex links, but two of them walk on their elbows. That issue is paired with curled toes so I went ahead and wrapped the toes. I'll give that a try over night hoping that it will be more comfortable for them to walk. But any ideas on how else I could fix the elbow issue?