Chicks have stuff stuck to their feet

[birds4c]

My chicks are still under the heat lamp and when I saw them today they have food and droppings stuck (like baked on) to their feet. How can I get this off without hurting their feet? Any suggestions?

 

[Emelyn]

My chicks are still under the heat lamp and when I saw them today they have food and droppings stuck (like baked on) to their feet. How can I get this off without hurting their feet? Any suggestions?

Can I have some pictures please?

 

[Nabiki]

Put them in a plastic tub with a very shallow layer of water and pebbles. Make sure they have the heat lamp so they don't get chilled. You may want to do one or two at a time.

Keep the brooder clean (I know it's hard, they produce so much poop) clean to prevent this in the future.

 

[Chip76]

You could soak their feet in warm Epsom salt water. That usually helps it dissolve and fall off.

 

[birds4c]

@Emelyn
@Nabiki
@Chip76
Thank you for your help and suggestions! I want to to try soaking their feet in Epsom Salts. Hopefully, that will work! Is it a problem if they drink the Epsom Salt water?

 

[Nabiki]

@Emelyn
@Nabiki
@Chip76
Thank you for your help and suggestions! I want to to try soaking their feet in Epsom Salts. Hopefully, that will work! Is it a problem if they drink the Epsom Salt water?

The salt's not good for them. Epsom salt is used more for bumble foot than getting stuff off of their feet.

 

[Chip76]

My quail have never tried to drink the Epsom salt water. I guess just warm water might work, I just haven't tried that.

 

[birds4c]

@Nabiki
@Chip76
I tried the warm water for about 10 minutes and it worked!!!! Thank you!! The chicks are warming up now under the heat lamp. The one chick has a crooked toe. I’m going to need to research that. Any suggestions for fixing crooked toes? Can it still be done? They’re three week old button quail chicks.

 

[Nabiki]

How bad is the toe? If it's just a bit crooked, I would leave it alone. If it's completely bent, you might try a bit of painter's tape? Something that doesn't have a lot of stick so it will come off easily when it's time.