Bangle-baby Sultan Bantam-has developed a sideways face. *Pics*

[Sparrow]

She looked completely normal initially, but over the past few weeks her face has become really crooked. Her entire beak curves off to the left, her right eyelid is misshapen, and the left side of her beak is permanently open. I find it odd because she also has a strange fifth toe. The other two Sultans have normal 5th toes, but Bangle's right 5th divides into 2 perfectly shaped toenails at the tip, pointing in 2 directions. ALSO, she has a black feather right in the middle of her crest.

I'm not sure why she has developed all these oddities! Otherwise she is perfectly normal and very sweet.

The only problem it seems to cause is that she doesn't have very good depth perception(tends to try to walk off edges of things) and sometimes I have to clear food out of the open side of her beak because it gets stuck. I wonder if it will get worse as she grows? Will it cause more problems for her?

*Her feet got cruddy today in the dirt on her field trip outside. hehe I need to wash them a little.

 

[pixiechick]

I don't know what to tell you, but strangely I have a goat with the same issue. I wonder if it a genetic abnormality or from a vitamin deficiency? Anyone have ideas?

 

[kinnip]

In goats it's called wry face. It can be congenital or nutrition related. For a goat, it's recommended to add some dolomite (I give mine a tsp/day) to the feed ration or mineral lick. Dolomite contains both Calcium and Magnesium which have an inverse relationship. Too much Magnesium can also cause a depletion of other trace minerals, which is why dolomite is the suggested supplement.
For chickens, I'm not sure what to do, aside from adding more calcium to the diet. Dolomite is not suggested for chickens, since it inhibits calcium uptake, something chickens need a LOT of to make eggs. Of course, it could just be genetic. With the weird toe, that would be my guess. In which case the only thing you can give is ample amounts of love.

 

[Cara]

The 'weird toe' is not unusual. Like Silkies, it is not unusual to have birds hatch with this fault. The bird does appear to have a genetic problem; because of their rarity many hatcheries sell badly inbred birds. Please don't allow it to breed.

Its feet need serious attention, or it will develop related illnesses. They must be kept clean and dry, as with any feather-footed breed.

 

[goldensunriseranch]

Hi, When I just started getting into chickens years ago I had a hatchery include sultans in with my order. One of the little pullets had the same thing, so maybe it's a thing that comes out in sultans? Eventually her beak became misaligned that she couldn't eat well. A few years down the road I had one come in a shipment as a mystery chick, it was a little roo and he developed a cross beak. The hatcheries don't sort for toe problems either, they ship them any which way they hatch mis-shapen toes, missing toes, split toes, no toenails etc.
I hope she can at least eat well and thrive as a loving pet, I wouldn't use her in a breeding program though where those genes could stay hiding in otherwise normal seeming chicks.

 

[JennsPeeps]

We have a banty whose beak is twisted & her whole front of her skull seems off kilter. She, too, has spacial relations issues and will sometimes try to jump distances I know are impossible for her (rather funny, though, to see her go for a chair from 3 feet away). Her depth perception does seem to be getting better. She's about 10 weeks old. She's fine. She eats OK and is a sweet little chicken. She's too young to lay but I'm not worried about that.

As long as your chicken is growing and thriving, I'd say to leave her be. I agree about not letting her breed. But there's no reason not to let her hatch others' eggs if she goes broody on you though.

Edited for grammar

 

[Sparrow]

Thanks for the information! I wonder if it is a Sultan thing, none of my other birds have this issue. It doesn't seem to cause her any trouble now, but I really hope that it won't worsen with time. She is so affectionate.

I always clean their feet after they go outside, I just wanted to snap a picture of her before I put her back into her brooder. I would think it would be uncomfortable to have feet like that get dirty.