2 Day old Coturnix chick w/curled foot - toes attached together - advice?

Sara L

Free Ranging
5 Years
Aug 14, 2017
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Northern California
I just finished hatching a bunch of Coturnix Quail chicks (hatched 17th-18th) and two of them seem to have a curled foot (both seem to be the left foot). This is the first hatch I have had with this egg source. In previous hatches of my own eggs I have only had a curled foot two to three times, and it seemed like the curled foot was caused by malpositioning or being stuck in the egg too long. I was able to fix the previous chicks with a brace or sandal made from that squishy medical tape that sticks to itself.

The first chick I was able to get the brace on and it appears to be staying on the foot, now the chick is walking normally. I grabbed the second chick to do the same and one of the toes is attached to its thumb/back toe. I could try to straighten the two toes that are free, but the foot would still be messed up because the other two toes are attached. Do I try to separate the toes? Do I leave it be? Will they separate on their own?

The chick has been getting around ok, but I know it may cause issues/discomfort/pain when it gets older and bigger. I had planned to use the birds from this hatch for breeding - is this likely a genetic thing or did is this a development thing in the egg and it could happen to any chick?

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No one has had this before or has suggestions!?! I tried searching for similar threads but wasn't having success.

I don't know if I can surgically separate the toes, I looked again this morning and it almost looks like there aren't two separate toe bones, more like it's fused at the area next to the foot and then the toes separate after the first toe-joint. Right now the chick is walking around with the foot curled under, so walking on the "knuckles".
 
Curled toes can be from riboflavin deficiency.
I'm moblie and can't link things right now, sorry.
 
I just finished hatching a bunch of Coturnix Quail chicks (hatched 17th-18th) and two of them seem to have a curled foot (both seem to be the left foot). This is the first hatch I have had with this egg source. In previous hatches of my own eggs I have only had a curled foot two to three times, and it seemed like the curled foot was caused by malpositioning or being stuck in the egg too long. I was able to fix the previous chicks with a brace or sandal made from that squishy medical tape that sticks to itself.

The first chick I was able to get the brace on and it appears to be staying on the foot, now the chick is walking normally. I grabbed the second chick to do the same and one of the toes is attached to its thumb/back toe. I could try to straighten the two toes that are free, but the foot would still be messed up because the other two toes are attached. Do I try to separate the toes? Do I leave it be? Will they separate on their own?

The chick has been getting around ok, but I know it may cause issues/discomfort/pain when it gets older and bigger. I had planned to use the birds from this hatch for breeding - is this likely a genetic thing or did is this a development thing in the egg and it could happen to any chick?

View attachment 1437418
View attachment 1437419
This foot looks like it was hatched deformed. Vitamins may help but not with the toes that look to be fused together.
 
I’m thinking the webs can be clipped to separate the toes. Many people use punches to identify chicks, so I would think it would be similar to the bird. But I wouldn’t know how to attempt doing it.
@casportpony any ideas?
 
I will try to take more pictures tonight, especially if I can get a helper. It doesn't feel right when I was looking at it this morning, like it's not just the skin webbed together, but the actual bones not separated.
If that's the case, should I try to amputate one of the toe parts so what's left can flatten out into an almost normal toe?
 

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