Chick born with "twisted" middle toes

[wooklet]

I have seen what to do about this somewhere, but now that I need it I'm d...d if I can find it! I have a 2 day old silkie chick that has both of its middle toes bent to one side. It is having trouble walking and I would like to try and splint it. Can anyone help me with that? Thanks!

 

[PoultryPeeps]

Try searching on the forum for 'chick booties' or 'bandaid foot fix' or something like that. You are looking for the directions (I think from Speckled Hen originally) for making a little 'boot' for the chick by cutting out a piece of cardboard the size of the chick's foot (like a cartoon duck foot cutout), then you position the chick's toes correctly and 'tape' them down with the sticky parts of a bandaid (or I guess you could use anything really, like duct tape, etc.) You leave it on for several days or until it falls off, then if it is still not fixed you do it again. Usually the chicks are corrected very shortly. Good luck!

 

[Southernbelle]

1. I cut off the sticky part of both sides of the band-aid and lay one sticky piece on the table.
2. Take the chick and stick the bottom of it's foot to the band-aid, making sure each toe is straight like you want it to end up.
3. Take the other piece of band-aid and put it over the top of the foot, making sure the bits of band-aid line up and adhere to each other to make a little duck-like boot. Trim the sides, if needed.

The chick may wobble and fall until it figures out how to walk in it, but the toes should be healed by the time the band-aid loses it's stickiness ( about 5 days) Check progress when he works the band-aid off to see if he needs a re-application.

Good luck!

 

[wooklet]

Thank you both so much, I am off to find my band aids,scissors and cardboard!

 

[wooklet]

Just to add - I did as suggested with the first post, but now all the other chickens are chasing him around and pecking at the grey duct tape on his feet! Will they give up?

 

[lilchik]

I have better success with clear packing tape. It seems anything out of the ordinary, especially colorful or different than "normal" to the chick attracts their attention and can cause pecking.
I use a thin peice of cardboard (its firm but not heavy) for the bottom of the shoe, place the foot ontop the cardboard, toes in correct allignment, then put clear packing tape down ontop the foot to hold it in place. Trim the edges so the shoe is not too big. The chicks are clumsy at first, but are walking in their special little shoes before you know it. Leave it in place til it fall off and recheck to see if you need to repeat.
I have found putting tape on top and bottom is not firm enough to keep the toes straightened.
Good luck with your little fuzz butts!

 

[wooklet]

Thanks for that. I don't want to try and take the duct tape off as I am afraid that it could do damage to the chick being pulled off. I'll wait until it falls off and then use your method if I need to. The pecking seems to have settled down, but if it continues I suppose that I could always put the chick on its' own or with just one other?

 

[PoultryPeeps]

As long as your tape is not pink or red, the other chicks will probably loose interest before you need to worry. I have found in the past that the younger age you do this at, the better. They get straightened out quite quickly!

 

[wooklet]

Quote:
The tape is grey, and yes they have lost interest and the little one is clumping around the brooder in his "boots", so hopefully all will be well with his little feet! Thanks everyone.