Everyone will eventually have to deal with a chick that had a problem hatching. When a chick takes too long struggling to get out of the shell the bones will begin to harden as chick takes in more oxygen. Being cramped, the feet and toes will be curled against the inside of the shell, once the chick is assisted to hatch, it may have problems with bent toes or even worse, an ankle that is severely bent to one side. Here is a pro-tip to help you fix that problem.
Using a wing tag, bend it into an 'L' shape and line it with athletic cloth tape. Flex the ankle to a normal walking position; the ankle will not bend to one side while it is flexed in the normal position. Fit the brace against the bottom of the foot and against the back of the leg. Tape the leg and the middle toe onto the brace and apply a shoe to the bottom and top of the foot with the toes in a normal position.
Be sure to not make the brace too heavy with tape as it can sometimes cause a blown hock. Normally, the chick can walk with a limp while the brace is on. After a day or two the brace can be taken off and the chick will be able to walk normally.
Using a wing tag, bend it into an 'L' shape and line it with athletic cloth tape. Flex the ankle to a normal walking position; the ankle will not bend to one side while it is flexed in the normal position. Fit the brace against the bottom of the foot and against the back of the leg. Tape the leg and the middle toe onto the brace and apply a shoe to the bottom and top of the foot with the toes in a normal position.
Be sure to not make the brace too heavy with tape as it can sometimes cause a blown hock. Normally, the chick can walk with a limp while the brace is on. After a day or two the brace can be taken off and the chick will be able to walk normally.
