Chick just hatched with curled toes and unhealed navel.

[Ruby's Mom]

Hello Everyone, I just hatched this little guy 3 hours ago. Attached is 1 photo that indicates curled toes on both feet and legs turned in. And the 2nd photo shows what I think is an unhealed navel. I notice after 6 hours now that it is shrinking in size.

So far, this chick is unable to stand up and walk because he won't bring his leg underneath him and his toes are badly curled. When he moves, he is scooting along on his left hock only as his right leg prefers to lay back behind and not underneath, (but can be tucked underneath him if I assist.)

I will give it a day and see if this improves.

I have 9 more eggs from this batch of eggs, ready to hatch. I purchased the fertile eggs from a local woman and am hoping they are healthier than this little guy.

Thoughts?

 

[sylviethecochin]

I'm not sure about the navel, but a vitamin B deficiency (Specifically, riboflavin) causes curled toes and poor blood circulation. If that is the case, you need to correct it ASAP. A vitamin B complex tablet ground up and added to his water should help him. If that's not the problem, then no harm done.

Riboflavin deficiencies manifest in only ~10% of the population unless they're extreme. If they are extreme, they often result in the death of the chick before it has hatched, usually at day four and day nineteen.

You can also splint his feet, and the sooner that is done, the better. That, (in my experience) rarely fixes itself.

or

 

[Flamens Farm]

You can cut a 1/2 inch piece of straw, feed a small hair tie (little girls) threw it and put his legs in each side of the loops, leave it for 24 to 48 hours to correct the legs. Keep it down by its feet. I just had to do it for a newborn guinea and within 2 days it was running around on its own. Also, use the idea of straightening the toes.

 

[sylviethecochin]

You can cut a 1/2 inch piece of straw, feed a small hair tie (little girls) threw it and put his legs in each side of the loops, leave it for 24 to 48 hours to correct the legs. Keep it down by its feet. I just had to do it for a newborn guinea and within 2 days it was running around on its own. Also, use the idea of straightening the toes.

Oops... Didn't remember to reply to the twisted leg bit. I've always found elastics cut into the chick's leg and was hard to get on. I like using thick yarn through a straw instead.

 

[Flamens Farm]

I used the little girls soft material elastic hair tie. Not the thin elastic.

 

[Ruby's Mom]

I'm not sure about the navel, but a vitamin B deficiency (Specifically, riboflavin) causes curled toes and poor blood circulation. If that is the case, you need to correct it ASAP. A vitamin B complex tablet ground up and added to his water should help him. If that's not the problem, then no harm done.

Riboflavin deficiencies manifest in only ~10% of the population unless they're extreme. If they are extreme, they often result in the death of the chick before it has hatched, usually at day four and day nineteen.

You can also splint his feet, and the sooner that is done, the better. That, (in my experience) rarely fixes itself.

or

Thank you for the info. I've been giving her Durvet since she was dry enough to come out of the incubator. And I just put adhesive bandaids on her feet to help keep them straight and a straw 'brace' around her legs. She is exhausted now. I do have B complex which maybe I'll switch to after she rests up a bit. Thanks again.

 

[Vivid Hatchery]

View attachment 1402532 View attachment 1402535 I used the little girls soft material elastic hair tie. Not the thin elastic.

Do you use this for treating a hyper-extended leg, or splayed leg, or something else?

 

[Flamens Farm]

Do you use this for treating a hyper-extended leg, or splayed leg, or something else?

Splayed legs, both legs were extended out and one was more to the back than the other. I named it roadrunner for now until I know its sex because when I put the brace on, it learned real quick to walk then run.

 

[as110]

How is your chickie doing? Is the navel healed? What about the curled toes?

I just had a little one hatch with a similar navel so I came here to check about it. Plus the curled toes but it just hatched 20 minutes ago so it could be too soon to tell.

This picture is a few minutes after the egg separated.

Here that jelly piece fell off in the next few minutes and started to dry up. And it shows the curled feet.

 

[Ruby's Mom]

Hello. My chick did not make it. The navel reabsorbed within a couple of days (After a few days of reabsorbtion and drying out, I treated the site with vertericyn several times a day to avoid infection) but the deformed leg and curled foot did not straighten even after splinting the legs and taping down the feet for a week. He was unable to walk and only could crawl. I felt the quality of his life would always be a challenge. Hope your little chick is doing better.