Deformed birds???

[chazen328]

In March we bought 20 Australorps chicks. We thought we were buying 10 male and 10 female but we ended up with 7 male and 13 female. Of these 20 chicks 5 of them have foot or legs problems. Is that normal? Or did we somehow end up with a "bad batch?" These problems range from toes at ninety degree angles all the way to limps and down right lame/can't walk. Is there a way to fix them? They don't appear to be in or act like they are in pain but I can't be sure and I'm worried. Ideas, suggestions?????

On a side note: The hen with 90 degree toes was in a pen of three pullets that I entered in our county fair and they got Grand Champion! I didn't even notice her toes until after the judging and that's also kind of when I started noticing the other issues.

 

[Judy]

This can be from problems incubating, or it can be genetic. I wouldn't breed any with a problem. Much of this is correctable if caught when they are young, as I understand it.

I had a roo we called "Crooked Toe;" we never noticed the toe til he was grown, but it didn't bother him, that you could tell. Now I know these things are more common than I thought.

https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry

 

[Reurra]

I have a chick named Stumpy, he cant walk. He is an Australorp. I ahve wondered the same thing about the breed. Perhaps its because there isnt much genetic diversity in the area, and yea, sometimes it can come from bad incubation.