curly toes

[Chicken wild 98]

one of my chicks has been on the ground all day i looked at its toes and they are curly how do i fix this

 

[Erica]

How old is the chick?

At day old chicks can sometimes have curly toes from improper incubator temperature. This can be helped by putting a band-aid over the foot with the toes in the correct position. (There would be a how-to somewhere I'm sure.)

I've had birds with incubator toes into their adult lives without issues; unless the toes are incredibly curly it doesn't seem to worry them.

If it's happening later, it can be something else (e.g. vitamin D deficiency causing inability to absorb calcium, i.e. rickets). That's a different scenario requiring sunlight, vitamins, etc.

Best of luck with it,
Erica

 

[chics in the sun]

I just had one hatch under a broody that has curly toes and cannot walk. I have taped it's little toes to pieces of cardboard to try and straighten them out, as well as giving it poly-visol vitamins, in case it is the result of a vitamin deficiency. Does anyone know how long I need to leave the little 'shoes' on?

 

[Glenmar]

I left mine on 2-3 days.

 

[chics in the sun]

Great - thanks. I'm hoping to put it - and the friend I took to keep it company - back in with Mama. We'll see how she reacts. I had to take it out after I put the shoes on, as the Mama hen kept trying to peck off the shoes, and in the process the chick was getting slung around like a rag doll.
Did you see the picture of the 'shoes', Chicken wild 98? I think you will find it if you type "curled toes" into the search box. Here are mine:

They are pieces of cardboard with medical tape wrapped around the foot and the cardboard, with the feet flattened out as much as possible.

 

[Chicken wild 98]

thank you guys
the chicks are walking and running now

 

[chics in the sun]

Oh good!! I will take the shoes off mine tomorrow and see if it can walk and run yet.