Chick with Broken Toe

[max13077]

My chickies got a broken toe! I have a 12 week old buff orpington pullet and the middle toe on her left foot is bent completely around! I was feeding and she hopped into the coop right there in front of me.

What do I do?

*edited title for clarity*

 

[SpottedCrow]

The first thing to do is to see if it really is broken...sometimes a hatching defect can show up or it's a vitamin deficiency...
My hen Slifer had 1 straight toe between both her feet, and she got around fine.

 

[max13077]

After I posted I grabbed her and felt the toe in question. It isn't wobbly like I would think of if it were broke. She seems to get around ok. It seems like I would have noticed it if it had happened before.

 

[SpottedCrow]

These were Slifer's feet. She just couldn't roost, but could chase you pretty quick.

 

[PoultryPedia]

A "chick shoe" made from sports tape and/or bandaids & possibly pipe cleaners would very likely facilitate very good healing. DCT, "the friendly poultry orthopedist", gives good advice on these at www.peafowl.org/ARTICLES/1/ and www.voy.com/194762/.
I've had chick shoes work great for correcting curled toes.

 

[max13077]

YES! They are quite similar to mine. Except she has only one foot that's bad. I was watching her tonight and she has big problem roosting like you said. I just don't remember her having that problem before. Although it is entirely possible I missed it.

That’s a birth defect or something?

 

[PoultryPedia]

Whoops--Just read more closely (I'd worked off the thread title "Chick with Broken Toe"). Dunno if splinting would be appropriate if the toe's pretty set in that position...

 

[SpottedCrow]

It's usually fixable within a few days of hatching...but as long as she gets around, I wouldn't worry about it.