Deformed chick at hatch in NurtureR.360

[JacinLarkwell]

Thank You so much! I fell so bad thinking I did something wrong but the first 4 to hatch are completely fine so that gives me some comfort. I appreciate your support

Sometimes freak things happen. I had 3 eggs that failed to hatch from a florescent chipped egg batch that all had malformations that resulted in them dying during incubation.

I've had chicks hatch with missing toes or later develop swollen heads or cross beaks. Most hatch normally and have no issues, but it's just something that can happen

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Thank You for the reply. It’s completely bent over and seems to be fused that way. Also, only 2 toes on that foot.

It appears that during development, it somehow bent back and was refused and absorbed back into the body. Can't say for certain, but that's what my initial reaction was

 

[BigBabyschick]

Hello from Lower AL and Welcome to BYC!
I'm so sorry but I don't see how you can help but cull it to save a lot of pain and suffering. I do hope some one will have a way to save it.

Thank You

 

[Wyorp Rock]

@azygous @Wyorp Rock , @coach723 , @Eggcessive , could y'all offer your opinion as to this chicks current condition and future quality of life?

Sorry, I would cull.

 

[Nomadicus]

After more informative comments I think a cull is far the better decision for the chick. So sorry is has to be this way. I sorely hate losing one.

 

[BigBabyschick]

After more informative comments I think a cull is far the better decision for the chick. So sorry is has to be this way. I sorely hate losing one.

Thank You

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

@BigBabyschick , even if the chick doesn't suffer pain from the deformity, it's going to come down to what YOU choose to do. Personally, I will do much more to help an older chicken survive than a newly-hatched chick, because I know the personality of an older chicken. If this were a chick hatched by one of my broody hens, I would assess its ability to keep up with mom and siblings, and euthanize if it couldn't keep up. But there are plenty of cases on BYC where poultry owners chose to give a special-needs chick extra care so it could thrive. The decision you have to make is no different than if this were a newborn puppy, kitten or any other animal species. Some people would immediately choose to euthanize, while others would give the handicapped animal a chance. Whatever you decide, you did nothing wrong to cause this to happen, so be at Peace with whatever decision you make.🕊

 

[Sir Sacabambaspis]

Hello from Lower AL and Welcome to BYC!
I'm so sorry but I don't see how you can help but cull it to save a lot of pain and suffering. I do hope some one will have a way to save it.

Isn't it possible to surgically remove the leg and make a fake 3d printed one? Just a crazy idea...

 

[Sir Sacabambaspis]

Hi all, I’m new to raising chickens and just hatched some eggs. The first 4 hatched a day early and were/are fine. The 5th one is deformed. And I had to remove her as the other 4 were trying to eat her. She can’t walk or even get off her belly. The foot seems fused to her leg and it appears to have only 2 toes. She’s eating and drinking thus far but I’m wondering if I’ll have to cull her ? Any and all suggestions are appreciated!

I think you should cull it unless you find a way to amputate the leg and 3d print a new one, but even then it's still very risky.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Isn't it possible to surgically remove the leg and make a fake 3d printed one? Just a crazy idea...

I have a hen that lost both feet to frostbite, and looked into the idea of having her fitted with 3d-printed feet. The issue is complicated. Same as with people, several fittings and adjustments are necessary to get a proper fit that will not cause pain and pressure wounds, while also allowing a bird to be more mobile than before. It's not possible to get a proper fit simply by taking stump measurements and having a 3d-printed foot delivered by mail, any more than a human could do so. There are a few youtube videos (VERY few) that show a bird that seemed to adapt well to their new artificial feet. But even then, there was no follow-up, so no way to know if the 3d feet continued to work well. I look forward to the day when a BYC member comes forward and shows how well their bird amputee has adapted, and believe one day it Will happen. One most-likely-to-succeed scenario is if an owner lives near a military medical facility that treats human war amputees, and is willing to help a bird in need. But so far, bird amputees have proven to do better through adapting to their missing feet/legs "as is" than trying to fit them with mail-order prosthetics.