Duckling hatched with a couple curled toes - Is this normal?

[Moochie]

My 5 ducks hatched! Yay! I thought nothing was gonna hatch because I had the temp a little low for the first 2 weeks (first time with incubator) but hey hey they hatched. 3 crested runners and 2 rouens.

But... I noticed today one of the runners has two toes curling inwards. I thought "oh must be from being squished in that egg, I'll just help him straighten them out" and no matter how much I try (without hurting 'him' lol) they keep curling back in. Hmm? He pulls away too when I try to straighten them, is it hurting him? Shall I make him a splint of some sort? His neck is kinda funny too, bent to one side a little, but I'm gonna hope that's just from being in an egg for a little over 3 weeks.

Thanks in advance!
[By the way I'm super super happy about my crested project! I really wanna make more crested runners, keep a couple for myself, and sell/give away the rest.]

 

[Amiga]

From what I have read on the forum, the little guy possibly has a nutrient deficiency. Sometimes, not always, they can be helped with extra vitamins, especially niacin and thiamine. Duckyfromoz has more experience with thiamine, I don't know recommended dosages. But Holderread suggests 100 to 150 mg of niacin per gallon of water for ducklings that show signs of niacin deficiency (it affects their nervous system and possibly other systems).

So, get that baby on vitamins ASAP, and I would also include electrolytes and probiotics. You can get a combo mix, or add pedialyte and a tablespoon of plain yogurt with live cultures to a vitamin cocktail for the baby. Also, there is gro-gel, which I gave to my day-olds, as a boost.

Congratulations on the hatch!

 

[Wynette]

Amiga, should the duckling's feet be splinted? With chicks who hatch w/curled toes, we make tiny "boots" for them, taking them down - it usually only takes 1-2 days to get them back to normal. Just wondering on that.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Here is a link about poultry with feet and leg problems maybe able to gleen something from it. I have read of folks using boots and things for thir ducklings...





https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/