Crooked Toes, Am I Doing This Right?

[Lacy Duckwing]

This is my second thread on this topic. My hen Lilac has crooked toes and I'm trying to fix them, but I'm feeling discouraged and worried that I'm doing it all wrong. I read somewhere to wrap the toes for a month, and the toes will be fine, but there were no pictures except for what to use. I did my best to straighten her toes, but a couple was very firm. The middle toes wants to go to one side. None of the toes seem to be as straight as they should be, and Lilac occasionally takes the wrap off.

Before, and unwrapped:

Wrapped:

Today, and she's taken a wrap off during the night or this morning:

Also, her toes were wrapped this Tuesday. She was separated in a kennel in the flock's coop up until last night.

Edit: She apparently didn't always have the crooked toes. I have found older pictures of her younger with straight toes.

 

[Eggcessive]

I don’t think there is any way to straighten toes once they are out of the early chick stage. I have a few that had crooked toes that were not noticed right away. They can be taped innthe first few days of life, but after that I don’t think that it is possible. I also feel that it is painful to try and force them to grow straight. Crooked toes worsen while they develop, and kind of stop once they are mature, but most chickens deal with it pretty well. Mine could roost pretty well. Toenails should be trimmed occasionally if they don’t wear them down.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

I don’t think there is any way to straighten toes once they are out of the early chick stage. I have a few that had crooked toes that were not noticed right away. They can be taped innthe first few days of life, but after that I don’t think that it is possible. I also feel that it is painful to try and force them to grow straight. Crooked toes worsen while they develop, and kind of stop once they are mature, but most chickens deal with it pretty well. Mine could roost pretty well. Toenails should be trimmed occasionally if they don’t wear them down.

She didn't have crooked toes at all as a chick. It's something that's newer (within the past two months and she's almost five months old). So are you thinking there's nothing that can be done? Is there a reason why she never showed this until she was about three months old? She used to be quite fast on her feet, and now she's slowed down and doesn't try anything that she used to be known for. She can perch, though unsteady.

 

[Eggcessive]

It is just my opinion that nothing can be done. And I would think that trying to straighten them now would be painful.

 

[DebAnneDigi]

I don’t think there is any way to straighten toes once they are out of the early chick stage. I have a few that had crooked toes that were not noticed right away. They can be taped innthe first few days of life, but after that I don’t think that it is possible. I also feel that it is painful to try and force them to grow straight. Crooked toes worsen while they develop, and kind of stop once they are mature, but most chickens deal with it pretty well. Mine could roost pretty well. Toenails should be trimmed occasionally if they don’t wear them down.

I just noticed on my 5day old chick..what material is used to tape it straight? Both feet middle toe.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

I just noticed on my 5day old chick..what material is used to tape it straight? Both feet middle toe.

I used this VetRap tape. For a chick, a band-aid might work better.

 

[DebAnneDigi]

Vetrap tape? ..at a TSS or farm store..snowed in..looking for masking or blue painters tape.. scotch tape was used

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Vetrap tape? ..at a TSS or farm store..snowed in..looking for masking or blue painters tape.. scotch tape was used

I got it from Amazon.