Petunia has crooked toes and a hunch back? Want your opinions & advice.

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ZaksGarden

ZaksGarden

Chirping
7 Years
May 20, 2012
148
15
81
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
My Coop
My Coop
One of my hens has crooked toes on her left foot, and it appears she has a hunch back. When I hold her her skeletal structure feels much different than that of my other hens. I knew she had these conditions but lately as I watch her I begin to worry about her. Here are some photos of her toes & back.


You can see here how her back is very hunched up...


Here you can see her left foot. I knew her toes were crooked since she was a a month or two old. I wish I had noticed it when she was a chick, I've read it could have easily been corrected. :(


The right side of her back/shoulders are much higher than her left side, and she walks odd. Almost waddles.


Close-up of the toes.

In short I am more concerned about her back. Is this is a deformity she was born with? Did she just grow this way due to an injury when she was young? She is about 3 1/2 months old at this point. I am worried that her deformities may lead to complications health-wise. Do you think she will be able to lay eggs?

I have raised chickens before but have never encountered these problems before. Any advice or opinions you could share I would appreciate.
 
Most likely the foot and back problems are congenital in nature. She probably will not have problems laying (I have had several 'hunch backed' hens that had no problems), but her eggs should not be incubated.
 
Hmmm well that is reassuring! I wasn't planning on letting her reproduce anyway, so that was not a concern of mine. In comparison to my other hens the same breed and age she is smaller though. I did not know if these problem would cause complications as she continues to grow.
 
There is aways the possibility that she inherited other bad genes/conditions, but only time will tell the tale. Trust me, she does not know that she is different.
 
Looks like her spine is twisted like a case of scoliosis. I had a nice quality RIR hen with that condition, which at first, I thought was wry tail, then realized her entire spine was twisted. I gave her to a friend and she lays just fine.
 
Well thank you both, I feel better about it now...and you are right. She does not know she is any different! It has been hard for me not to dwell on it but I need to just keep it in the back of my mind and rest assured that she is happy.
 
Don't have a conscience about feeling that you could have got Petunia's toes sorted out early by splinting. We have a large-fowl Orpinton cockerel who has crooked toes. These were splinted early, but they have just gone back crooked, and I do note that several of his offspring have the same problem so I think it is genetic. It does not stop him running around the orchard and garden pretty fast and he is happy and well. The hunchback is more of a problem. We have one hen who is also a hunchback, and it causes her some problems with getting at the food bowl. However, she can manage as long as it is on her left side. She is young yet and only just becoming mature so she is not laying yet. I see no reason why she would not be able to lay. After all there are hunchback people who live perfectly normal lives. Hope this helps. rachel
 
Any of these could be the cause of the crooked toe,

a) Genetic / hereditary. b) Floor of the brooder is too cold. c) Wire floors used for rearing. d) Incorrect incubation - temperature incorrect or humidity too low. e) Improper nutrition for parents and or chicks.

Some of these could also put a twist in her spine.
 
Hmm...My hunchback chicken was raised under Mum with other chicks who do not have this problem. The chicks were not incubated. We don't use wire floors. Not sure what is meant by incorrect nutrition, but all of our chucks have 19% protein diet, and very varied. They are also free range. These things can happen, like they do to people. Chicken keepers shouldn't beat themselves up feeling they have done something wrong.
 

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