Hatched chick with twisted toes

[MysticUniKitty]

Hi! I read the pinned links and I'm getting the items together for helping the chick. My question is when? Right now it's only 2 hours old, so not fluffy at all and since we have to have window units on to keep our home cool, I worry it will get a chill. Will the chick be ok till it's fluffy and then I put hobbles and the stiff plastic for toes?
It was the last one to hatch and then ended up getting wrapped as the incubator ran out of water too soon.
Not a great start for this poor thing. It's a brahma so has fluff on legs and toes too.

 

[SnapdragonQ]

@casportpony has an excellent write up on this. It appears that within the first 24 hours is best, but let baby dry and rest first. Sometimes they do straighten out on their own because they were cramped up in the egg.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...s-with-tape-picture-tutorial-and-video.75247/

 

[MysticUniKitty]

@casportpony has an excellent write up on this. It appears that within the first 24 hours is best, but let baby dry and rest first. Sometimes they do straighten out on their own because they were cramped up in the egg.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...s-with-tape-picture-tutorial-and-video.75247/

Thank you! The other link didn't give as much detail as I was wanting. And oh I hope so! I'll keep an eye on it till dry for now

 

[SnapdragonQ]

Welcome. Casportpony's method seems like the easiest way to straighten the toes and if I ever have to use it I will use blue painter's tape so it will release from the chick's foot easier than regular tape.
Hopefully your little chick will self correct.

 

[MysticUniKitty]

Still not completely dry, but I was able to get some photos. The one foot looks to be self correcting, I'm worrying about the other though. Looks like the legs are starting to splay more to compensate for it too.

 

[SnapdragonQ]

I don't have any experience with splay legs so let me tag in a couple of folks with more chick experience than me. Maybe they can help.
@CluckNDoodle
@FortCluck

 

[CluckNDoodle]

You may find that the chicks toes will straighten out on their own. I never worry about their feet until after they're dry and out of the incubator at which time I'll reevaluate.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Still not completely dry, but I was able to get some photos. The one foot looks to be self correcting, I'm worrying about the other though. Looks like the legs are starting to splay more to compensate for it too.

I don't know if it's the picture, but it looks like it may have a short toe? A minor deformity that you wouldn't want to breed but it shouldn't affect the chicks quality of life. If there isn't enough traction in the incubator the chicks legs may be starting to slip out from under it. If the chick has splay leg you can make a hobble for it.

Are there other chicks hatching in the incubator? If it's slipping I would go ahead and take it out and put it in the brooder so it doesn't get splay leg.

 

[MysticUniKitty]

@CluckNDoodle Thank you so much!! I'll remember that for the next time I hatch. (it'll be a while as my rooster passed away and these are his last babies) And i'm going to watch for the short toes! I'm hoping to breed solely brahmas next year.

I didn't know that curled toes could self correct! this has been fascinating and a great learning experience for myself. So I ended up leaving the chick in the incubator till this morning, it was on it's own in there and the others had already been out for 2 days, i was worried they would bully it and wanted to see if it could self correct. IT DID!


I'm not sure if these still look short? If they are then it'll just be another pet chicken for us. When holding it it holds it's feet the correct way and when on a surface it's only a little close together, I'm hoping it'll continue to work it out.

I have it in with the ones that hatched a couple days ago in a brooder inside so i can keep an eye on it and them, i have the grippy liner down with some paper towels underneath so it can walk and grip the floor if needed, in a day or two i'll switch to chips to help them all.

thank you guys for all the help! It looked so bad at first I thought it would be a long road but this turned out wonderfully and thank you again for all the tips and such!!!

 

[SnapdragonQ]

They do look a little short and missing nails, however I'm so glad you came back to let us know baby is doing well and seems to have self corrected!