4 day old chick with curled feet

[anacarolina]

Hi you guys! I have a flock of silkies and most are going broody so I’ve let some hatch their eggs. I’m fairly new to raising chickens and could really use some help.

A couple days ago one of my hens hatched 3 eggs. One of the chicks was noticeably smaller and weaker than the others and was born with one foot with toes curled in and the other foot looks a bit deformed- like it’s upside down kind of. When I checked on them today this chick had some alpaca wool that I put in to keep them warm wrapped around the foot with curled toes and covered in poo and was not running around actively like it’s brothers and sisters.

I moved it inside separately with its own heat lamp and washed off it’s toes. After watching it for a bit I realized it puts all his pressure on the foot with curled toes and the other deformed foot is usually sticking out. It has a hard time balancing and uses it’s wing to help stay standing up. Is it possible to rehabilitate this chick? Or will this just lead to suffering for it?

Also, how can I prevent this from happening again? I have 3 more hens waiting on their eggs to hatch and want to get it right next time. Thanks in advance for any help

 

[venymae]

You can totally help a chick like this! Band-Aids are your friend here! The curled foot you uncurl the toes and use a bandaid or masking tape to make a little boot-splint (think something like a duck foot!) To keep his toes straight. Splay leg can be corrected also but I'm not sure the specifics. Searching this site or look for it under the articles the how to should be around here somewhere

 

[anacarolina]

I tried uncurling the toes when I picked it up earlier and they seemed to be a bit stiff. Will it hurt it to uncurl them? I’m just a bit wary since both feet have a deformity. But hopefully it will grow into a very nice bird!
Thanks for the reply

 

[sylviethecochin]

Also--curled feet are a symptom of riboflavin deficiency! Get him some vitamin B supplement (which must include B2) ASAP! Riboflavin is essential in development of nerves, and the longer he goes without, the more likely he is to suffer permanent damage!

Feed your chickens riboflavin. It's the most common deficiency in poultry fed on layer feed. It's found in spinach, strawberries, and your local drug store. They don't need much, but I always give my hens some before brooding season. The symptoms of a lack of it can be confused with Mareks. (collapsed legs and inability to walk) Broods hatched with a lack of it often die on day 20 of incubation, right before they're supposed to hatch because of lack of blood flow.

Riboflavin build-up is not toxic. The vitamin is cheap. I cannot recommend supplementing it enough.

 

[3riverschick]

It's too late, the chick is four days old.
This needs to be started in the first 24 hours
Cull the chick.
Sadly,
Karen

 

[venymae]

Riboflavin is a water soluble vitamin, excess will just be excreted in the waste. Good to know that could be a cause of DIS. Thanks @sylviethecochin

 

[sylviethecochin]

Riboflavin is a water soluble vitamin, excess will just be excreted in the waste. Good to know that could be a cause of DIS. Thanks @sylviethecochin

Actually, I'm pretty sure it's the number one cause. After my first case of this (an entire OEGB clutch died in the egg, but one little rooster-chick, who didn't last the week), I dove into internet research. Since then, I've found that nearly every foot deformity I've had in chicks can be helped with B2, splinting, and a half-hour of "chick leg therapy" every day.

That's my personal experience, of course. But I've mixed a ground riboflavin tablet into every hatch's water since I learned about it, and my mortality rate definitely decreased by at least twenty-five percent.

EDT: And I don't mean to sound like an authoritative jerk. My tone is a little drill-sergeant at the moment, Sorry.

 

[sylviethecochin]

And I'm sorry for your loss, OP.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would give chick vitamins in the water containing riboflavin. Do not cull uless you try vitamins for a bit of time, and make some chick shoes. Very young chicks may recover from incubation problems. Google Poultry Pedia Podiatry or chick shoes for foot problems.

 

[venymae]

DON'T STOP BELIEEEEEEEVING!! HOLD ONTO THAT CUTE CHICK PEEEEEEEPING!!!