- Jul 3, 2011
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Greetings, all! Today, I am celebrating the 9th birthday of three hens, my barred rock, Stella, my Welsummer, Charlotte and my black Australorp, Ginny. Here they are as babies:
Charlotte, the Welsummer, developed two curled toes on her right foot over time. It wasn't visible initially, as the video demonstrates, and didn't interfere noticeably with her gait for a long time. Looking back, I see subtle beginnings in a video I took at 7-8 weeks. My impression is that these two toes got worse over time -- it may initially have been just one -- though Charlotte has made do admirably, and has had a good, normal hen life. In retrospect, though, I feel bad for not correcting this, though I don't know if it would have been possible by the time I spotted the problem. She walks rather awkwardly now, with lots of sideways motion, but gets around capably, roosts without difficulty, and is part of the normal life of the flock. She adapted.
Anyone have any thoughts about what might have caused a slow-developing curl on two of her right toes? Her left foot is normal. She is a hatchery chick; I'm aware that incubation issues and riboflavin deficiency can cause problems in young chicks, but I'm baffled by what seemed to be a slow-onset deformity. I've not seen this issue in any other hen I've had. Could it just be genetic? I wish she hadn't had this issue, or that I had seen and corrected it -- though it has not kept her from enjoying a long life.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Charlotte, the Welsummer, developed two curled toes on her right foot over time. It wasn't visible initially, as the video demonstrates, and didn't interfere noticeably with her gait for a long time. Looking back, I see subtle beginnings in a video I took at 7-8 weeks. My impression is that these two toes got worse over time -- it may initially have been just one -- though Charlotte has made do admirably, and has had a good, normal hen life. In retrospect, though, I feel bad for not correcting this, though I don't know if it would have been possible by the time I spotted the problem. She walks rather awkwardly now, with lots of sideways motion, but gets around capably, roosts without difficulty, and is part of the normal life of the flock. She adapted.
Anyone have any thoughts about what might have caused a slow-developing curl on two of her right toes? Her left foot is normal. She is a hatchery chick; I'm aware that incubation issues and riboflavin deficiency can cause problems in young chicks, but I'm baffled by what seemed to be a slow-onset deformity. I've not seen this issue in any other hen I've had. Could it just be genetic? I wish she hadn't had this issue, or that I had seen and corrected it -- though it has not kept her from enjoying a long life.
Thanks for your thoughts.