Help help help!!! 2.5 week old chicks toes are curling to the side

[Hennypen]

I think I read this is from not enough vitamins and minerals. Right?

The toes are curling to the side, not under. So when the chick has its foot down, instead of having toes in the E and W directions, the E will be straight and the other will be W but curled back.

Will it go back by adding more vitamins?

 

[thornwing]

I dont know if it will help but theres this green gel called Gro Gel or something (sold at Mcmurrayhatchery.com) that is supposed to be very good for growing chicks....it might be worth a shot, and if not, it would come in handy for future chicks... give the chicks more minerals and vitamins, but no oyster shells for calcium because I heard it can kill them (idk if you were thinking of those, I just happen to have a giant can of them I use for the hens' egg laying production). If worse comes to worst, maybe binding them in something to keep them straight and mold them? Good luck! :]

 

[kittyacid]

Can you post a picture? Does the chick walk or hobble on its hock?

 

[Tiramisu]

I read up just a little, most posts say it can either be too high of humidity in an incubator, genetic or the vitamin deficiancy. Think for the vitamin deficiency it said to give them poly visol without iron and there is also a method of taping the toes down, I dont know anything about this so only saying what i found. Hopefully someone who knows more can help soon

 

[Hennypen]

They were NOT born this way. Only 2 out of the 7 have it. The other 5 look fine. Ideas?

 

[peaceful]

Don't know why your chicks are getting curled toes after a few weeks, but if you want to use splints to help, here is a photo of me using carpet tape (duct tape will work too) to help correct curled toes in a few day old chick:

leave on for several days to one week, making sure there is room for the toes to grow.

 

[Hennypen]

Where do I find carpet tape? These chicks are 3 weeks old and they started curling last week.

 

[peaceful]

Sorry! Duct tape is fine too or you can try any tape that would stay on and hopefully won't hurt their skin. I thought I was using white duct tape when I made the splint and then my husband told me it was carpet tape!