Crooked toes in peachicks

Maron · Jun 9, 2023

I have a problem with my peachicks, one bends the right toe of the left foot and the left toe of the right foot inwards so that they are in one line towards each other, while the other bends the entire right foot. What should I do to keep them from staying like this forever? I will add that one peachicks is less than a week old and the other a few days old.

casportpony · Jun 10, 2023

It's been my experience that after they are a few days old that they cannot be fixed. Here is how I fix mine:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/fixing-chicks-curled-toes.1325785/post-21627031

@KsKingBee might have some suggestions too.

KsKingBee · Jun 10, 2023

casportpony said:
It's been my experience that after they are a few days old that they cannot be fixed. Here is how I fix mine:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/fixing-chicks-curled-toes.1325785/post-21627031

@KsKingBee might have some suggestions too.

Not only can they not be fixed after the bones harden, they are more prone to return to bent and twisted especially if kept on wire after being 'fixed'.

All of the bent toes and turned ankles I have seen are due to hatching problems. Notice that chicks hatched under hens rarely ever have bent toes. Smart hens know when to intercede and help the chicks out of the shell.

The problems stem from artificial incubating with improper turning, humidity too high, and low temperature.

Rough handling and improper turning can cause malpositioning in the egg which contributes to the chick not pipping in the correct place on the shell and can delay hatching. Assisting the malpositioned chicks is usually late and the chick has breathed air long enough to start the hardening process while the feet are curled in the shell.

Chicks that do not lose enough moisture are too large to zip around the egg. Again the hardening process has started and the feet are set curled in the shell.

Temperature too low causes the chick to delay hatching. Weakened by the struggle to pip and zip again delays the hatching and the hardening process begins.

Over the years we have tried many ways to correct toes and ankles and fine that a cloth tape is best as it id less slippery and gives more traction. We generally wait for a day to see if the toes naturally flatten out, if not we apply the tape.

Chicks that had to be helped out will get the 'shoes' right away. What actually helps the most is to put the chick on a piece of cardboard with the legs and feet through holes and taped flat to the bottom. This aligns the legs, ankles, and toes to proper form. The chick can be returned to the hatcher or monitored in the brooder. We remove the chick from the cardboard after 24 hours and if needed will be returned to the board for another day but that is rare.