Hen's toe bent/broken?!

[oakeve]

I noticed about a week ago one of my hens outer toes is bending backwards when she walks. I spoke to the farm I got her from and they said as long as it's not infected etc it will be okay and heal that way. It's not inflamed and she can walk on it, but it just looks uncomfortable. I rang my local vets (where my dogs etc are registered) but they won't touch poultry.

She keeps up with the other girls and to be honest is right at the top of the pecking order and is boss so the other hens aren't picking on her but I just want to know if there's anything I can do. It's not bleeding or open or anything. Literally is just her toe bent backwards as she walks.

Thank you...

Eve

 

[Dutchmother]

I noticed about a week ago one of my hens outer toes is bending backwards when she walks. I spoke to the farm I got her from and they said as long as it's not infected etc it will be okay and heal that way. It's not inflamed and she can walk on it, but it just looks uncomfortable. I rang my local vets (where my dogs etc are registered) but they won't touch poultry. 

She keeps up with the other girls and to be honest is right at the top of the pecking order and is boss so the other hens aren't picking on her but I just want to know if there's anything I can do. It's not bleeding or open or anything. Literally is just her toe bent backwards as she walks. 

Thank you...

Eve

I had a chick with several curled toes on one foot (it was also splay-legged), and I used surgical tape to make a boot to keep its toes flat. I left the tape on for 3 days, and the toes straightened out (though one has a tiny curve at the end ). I did read that curled toes won't necessarily harm them. I just opted to try and fix ours because she was having a difficult enough time just walking without toes spread out for support. Now she's great! If you google 'curled toes in chicken' you should find examples of how to fix them.