crooked or bent under toes

[Schreib69]

This one hen has one bent-under toe on each foot; she is 6 mo old and fully grown. She walks just fine and does not appear to be in any pain or problem walking. When I bent one back straight she does not seem to be bothered so it seems I could try a splint of some sort. I understand I can give her some vitamin B of some sort but have not tried it. It seems splinting is most likely to help.

How to make a splint? materials? source of vit B?

I need some expert help to guide me please, thanks!

 

[azygous]

You certainly may try to straighten her toes, but try not to have high expectations of success. Unlike a tiny chick with foot issues where it takes but a couple days to correct, an older chicken may not be so easy and fast.

For chicks, we use "chick shoes" to straighten toes. Cut out light cardboard to fit the imprint of her foot, then use transparent tape (no duct tape) to secure the foot to them, positioning the toes and taping them in place.

She will not be able to roost unless you take the shoes off each night. Or let her sleep in a crate in the coop at night. How long this will take is up for question, though. I would expect four to six weeks if it's going to work.

Giving B-complex can help heal any damaged nerve connections. It, too, takes time to be effective, four to six weeks.

 

[Mrs. K]

Really if it is not bothering her, I would leave her be. Treatment is going to be traumatic, and she is not going to like it. It will be quite difficult to get it secure enough to stay on, tight enough to correct, and not too tight to wind up losing the toe.

I would not hatch her eggs, but I would expect her to do just fine as she is.

Mrs K