Golden Pheasant hatched with curled toes

[Hawgon]

I had a golden pheasant that we helped hatch after it pipped and then only 1/4 of the way zipped so we helped it the rest of the way. Its toes are curled up and it wont or can not straighted them. Any advice on what or if anything we can do....We seprated it from the other one so it would not pick on it. Boy are these chicks active compared to chickens!!!!

 

[MEchickenfarmer33]

what do you mean?? like curled up in a ball/fist or curled to the side? do you have a picture? wish i can help you more

 

[Hawgon]

 

[KLRA]

Cut both ends off a bandaid and use them to make a little boot for the chick--one piece on top of the foot and the other piece on the bottom of the foot, the pieces meeting around the edge of the toes to seal it together. It's kind of tricky to get the toes straightened out and get the bandaid pieces on before the toes can curl up again, but you have to do it within a day of hatching or it gets much more difficult to correct. Good luck!

 

[Hawgon]

Did that last night and seperated it from the other one that was picking on it. Hoping for the best, my wife has kinda adopted it. Thanks for the advice.......

 

[KLRA]

Leave it on as long as you can--it will probably start to come off itself in a few days anyway. If you plan on keeping all the chicks together I'd get that one back in with its brooder mates as soon as it can move around with that boot on. I've never raised quail and heard stories about them being a little ruthless when it comes to weaker/different chicks though, so I don't know if that's actually a possibility or not to put the chick back. Hope everything turns out well!

 

[Hawgon]

We took it off this evening to do a checkup. What a difference, the outside toe on each foot still curls in a little bit but wow. He gets around great now and even picks on the other one. We are going to see how it does overnight after using it for awhile and then go from there. I hatched them for someone else. Thanks for all the help.

 

[KLRA]

Awesome! Glad to hear it its great to have cheap home remedies work out. Just now realized it was a pheasant chick... For some reason I kept thinking quail, so ignore the quail comment in my last post!

 

[Hawgon]

It's a miracle! You can't hardly tell the two chicks apart now. Glad for resources like this website and the people on it and everyone that shares. Thanks again.