broken toes!

[heiditam]

I got a started pullet from mcmurray yesterday(americana), and she has two broken toes. The second to last toe on each foot. What do I do? :/

Mcmurray has offered to replace her(I am going to update them as to her condition tomorrow)...but what I really want is for her to be better...

She is walking but it looks uncomfortable and she stands with one leg up often. She will not attempt to roost.

Do I splint? Let it go?

 

[Eggcessive]

Are they broken or are they crooked? Do you have a picture?

 

[heiditam]

This is how it looks on both feet. Toes are pointed backwards and when she walks she is putting pressure on the middle joint-looks very uncomfortable.

 

[heiditam]

Oh gosh here is one not upside down. See how the toes are all wonky and pointing backwards? I am assuming they are broken?

 

[MrsBrooke]

If she is still eating and drinking normally and not showing any signs of distress, I would leave her be and monitor her.

Chickens are not mammals, and, as such, handle "pain" very differently. Something like that may not even bother her in the slightest.

Just watch her and see. I've heard that broken toes can fall off eventually and cause no harm to the chicken whatsoever, except that it may increase their difficulty doing ballet.

MrsB

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you contact the hatchery? There doesn't appear to be swelling. I think her toes may be crooked which can be fairly common in hatchery chickens. If you tape and splint them in the first days as a chick, you may be able to straighten them, but it is too late now. I have one hen who has very crooked toes, and she does fine. It looks very uncomfortable, but they seem to do alright. My girl seems to roost fine on the flat side of 2x4 roosts, but it is hard to grasp a rounds roost.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Agreed, looks more like a vitamin B deficiency . Whilst it is too late to correct the toes, it's never too late to add a good multivitamin to their water.

http://www.jefferspet.com/products/...84af9fa2600f00000499/533884b09fa2600f000004ae

 

[heiditam]

Agreed, looks more like a vitamin B deficiency . Whilst it is too late to correct the toes, it's never too late to add a good multivitamin to their water.

http://www.jefferspet.com/products/...84af9fa2600f00000499/533884b09fa2600f000004ae

Thanks. I have some vitamins, will add some now.

Can you contact the hatchery? There doesn't appear to be swelling. I think her toes may be crooked which can be fairly common in hatchery chickens. If you tape and splint them in the first days as a chick, you may be able to straighten them, but it is too late now. I have one hen who has very crooked toes, and she does fine. It looks very uncomfortable, but they seem to do alright. My girl seems to roost fine on the flat side of 2x4 roosts, but it is hard to grasp a rounds roost.

I called, and they are happy to replace or refund. I chose a refund as they wanted to ship 2 instead of 1, and I really feel like that is pushing the limits of my coop.

 

[heiditam]

If she is still eating and drinking normally and not showing any signs of distress, I would leave her be and monitor her.

Chickens are not mammals, and, as such, handle "pain" very differently. Something like that may not even bother her in the slightest.

Just watch her and see. I've heard that broken toes can fall off eventually and cause no harm to the chicken whatsoever, except that it may increase their difficulty doing ballet.

MrsB

I hope she fares well-she is acting ok, except not getting on roost as often as other girls and walking kinda funny...

 

[Fancychooklady]

I hope she fares well-she is acting ok, except not getting on roost as often as other girls and walking kinda funny...

I had a little guy with crooked toes, he came from a breeder. I think that they are a little lapse on quality control and quite possibly the parent stock are not getting their nutritional requirements. I put a ladder on the lean up to the perch, he coped very well. Miss the little guy he was a character.

You can see in the bottom pic the angle of his toes.