More toe curling questions....

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WhiteMountainsRanch

WhiteMountainsRanch

Crowing
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I've done a ton of searching and asking about the whole curled toes thing, and have gotten a lot of great info.

However now I have another question;

I have 1 chick that did NOT have curled toes when she was born... they actually developed at about 2-3 weeks of age and now two toes on one foot are severely curled around.

I also have a couple more new babies with toes starting to curl at about a week and a half old.... I know the parents and there is no inbreeding.

They are developing Twisted Toes, in which bird walks on SIDES of twisted toes, not on tops.

They are on 22% Organic Chic Starter and vitamin and electrolytes in their water.

I have been culling all curled toes on the farm (selling them off) and still have babies NOT born with them, but developing them. They are on wood shavings.

I really don't like curled toes and would like to know of there is something I am doing wrong or something I could do differently to keep them from curling?

Thanks in advance!
 
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Vitamin deficiency, riboflavin deficiency. Joel Salatin mentioned this in his book. He fed them beef liver to increase the riboflavin and resolved that issue. I used Vitamin B2 with riboflavin disolved in thier water and our toes went back to normal also. Hope this helps.
 
I forgot to mention that we use commercial feed, and upon checking our feed as dated was 8 months old. We have changed our supplier to one that has a quicker turn over of stock.
 
I doubt that it could be a vitamin deficiency as they have supplemental vitamins in their water at all times.

And the breeders are on the best money feed can buy with tons of supplemental treats.

And I am using an incubator. It has been hatching at 101*... I will try turning it down to 100*.
 
Double check your thermometers. High temps, especially the first 6 days can cause feet and lots of other deformities.
Good luck.
Let us know what you find out.
ETA
I don't mean to infer you aren't feeding well but "lots of treats" (depending on what they are) can affect nutrition.
 
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WMR............ Are you refering to your Cornish or just any breed in general ??.
 
Right now the ones I am having feet curling trouble with are the EE babies...





The treats are lots of organic fruits and veggies/ greens from our garden...





With regard to the temps... if it is the temps causing the feet curled wouldn't they be born with it? Rather than developing it two weeks later?
 
IMHO my experience has always lead me to question genetics in the case of toe curling at hatching time, if they develop it later I have found the ground conditions to be the major factor. Keeping birds on wire seems to be a big cause as is a slippery surface covered in shavings or a loosely layed type bedding. The faster they get on good proper ground the better your chances are and reduce the risk of toe curling.
 
Interesting! They are on pine shavings until about 4-5 weeks then they are outside on the ground.


I'll try lowering the temps and moving them out as quick as I can.


Thanks!
 

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