Baby chick with bent toe

[finlay990]

Hi all,

I have a roughly four day old chick with a bent toe! The chick is eating and drinking well and doesn’t seem to be in pain, it keeps up with mumma hen but the toe is pretty badly bent to the side. It doesn’t always sit flush on the ground and sometimes almost curls up underneath as baby stands with the foot in an almost claw position. I guess I am wondering if i should try and make a little bootie for the chick to correct the toe, or if I should leave it? Is it painful for them or can it cause them discomfort now or later in life? I never want any animal to suffer. Pic of baby’s toe.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Poor baby! I was in a similar situation earlier this year.
What you'll need to do is make her a shoe. There are lots of different ways to do it. I did the cardboard and masking tape one. Some people just use tape.
Article by @casportpony- https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...s-with-tape-picture-tutorial-and-video.75247/

And here's a piture of my little Blue with her stylish shoe...

And she healed in a week or so, it fell off after a few days, and I gave her little foot massages every day for a couple days.

 

[Callender Girl]

When Maxie, my blue Cochin Bantam pullet, was a couple of days old, I noticed most of her toes were curled like your chick's. I made the tape-and-cardboard shoes but was only minimally successful.

Her toes are still terribly curled, but she doesn't seem to be in pain. She runs around with the others, although her gait is much different.

I seem to be a magnet for "hobbled" birds. My 3-year-old barred Cochin Bantam had a stricture wound on one leg. Surgery seemed to fix it, but later she lost all of the feathers on that leg (however, not the blood supply, thank goodness) and she run-hops all over the place.

A previously egg-bound runner duck limped for the remainder of her life, and my Buff Orpington, who's had bumblefoot and a leg injury, also has an odd walk but remains queen of the flock.

I guess what I'm saying is, try you best to help your chick. But if you can't straighten out her toe, it might not be terrible for her. My girls are less than perfect but still seem to live perfectly good lives.

I hope for the best for your baby!

 

[finlay990]

Thank you for your replies! I’m going to make a little boot today and fingers crossed it might work!