Is this toe issue genetic?

[berlyannpotter]

https://poultrydvm.com/condition/crooked-toes

Found this.

 

[berlyannpotter]

 

[LaFleche]

View attachment 4158710

Your right picture shows that he does have a crooked toe on his other foot as well, so both feet are affected.

At his age there is no way to correct the deformities. Any corrective measures must be taken immediately after hatch.

He appears to be rather pale, can you post a picture of his entire head?
How old is he?

 

[MotherFlockers]

That's not my picture it's someone that commented that has a similar issue.

Your right picture shows that he does have a crooked toe on his other foot as well, so both feet are affected.

At his age there is no way to correct the deformities. Any corrective measures must be taken immediately after hatch.

 

[LaFleche]

That's not my picture it's someone that commented that has a similar issue.

Yes, I saw that.
Maybe she purchased the hatching eggs from the same breeder?

 

[NatJ]

He was the only one to hatch it was like this since he hatched. I paid a lot for these eggs to be shipped in from a breeder I found Clutch of Color. He was the only one that hatched out of the dozen. I was hoping to use him to breed because he's a pure welsummer roo and the eggs were so expensive. His beak, wattles, and tail are normal not crooked. It's just this one toe.

In this case, if you have hens but no other rooster, I would probably hatch some chicks from him and pay careful attention to their toes, as well as watching all the other traits you would normally think about.

The real test of his ability as a breeder is to breed him and see what he produces.

There are several ways crooked toes could be at least partly genetic. There could be an actual gene that causes crooked toes. Or there could be genetic influence on how sensitive the chick is to incubation conditions. Or there could an inherited (genetic) need for a little more of some nutrient as compared with what most chickens need (that would make deficiency more likely.)

Even if some of his chicks do have crooked toes, you might be able to hatch lots of chicks and pick some that do not have problems, then over the next generations breed more that are also good.

If you had lots of chicks and others had good toes, I would not use him. But that's not the situation you have. So I would probably start using him, but also be ready to switch if a better rooster becomes available (either because someone is selling one, or a son of this one.) And of course don't switch for a straight-toed rooster that has worse problems (for example, I would consider crossbeak to be a bigger problem than crooked toes, because of which one has how much effect on the chicken's ability to live and be healthy.)

 

[berlyannpotter]

Your right picture shows that he does have a crooked toe on his other foot as well, so both feet are affected.

At his age there is no way to correct the deformities. Any corrective measures must be taken immediately after hatch.

He appears to be rather pale, can you post a picture of his entire head?
How old is he?

What do you mean PALE? What do I need to do to help him? He is 12 weeks and 4 days.

 

[berlyannpotter]

In this case, if you have hens but no other rooster, I would probably hatch some chicks from him and pay careful attention to their toes, as well as watching all the other traits you would normally think about.

The real test of his ability as a breeder is to breed him and see what he produces.

There are several ways crooked toes could be at least partly genetic. There could be an actual gene that causes crooked toes. Or there could be genetic influence on how sensitive the chick is to incubation conditions. Or there could an inherited (genetic) need for a little more of some nutrient as compared with what most chickens need (that would make deficiency more likely.)

Even if some of his chicks do have crooked toes, you might be able to hatch lots of chicks and pick some that do not have problems, then over the next generations breed more that are also good.

If you had lots of chicks and others had good toes, I would not use him. But that's not the situation you have. So I would probably start using him, but also be ready to switch if a better rooster becomes available (either because someone is selling one, or a son of this one.) And of course don't switch for a straight-toed rooster that has worse problems (for example, I would consider crossbeak to be a bigger problem than crooked toes, because of which one has how much effect on the chicken's ability to live and be healthy.)

His toes have always been this way. He was the first chick I ever had, and didn't realize it was preventable.

 

[LaFleche]

@berlyannpotter

Pale as in a bit pale in his face around his eyes etc.

I would inspect the coop carefully for blood sucking poultry mites and offer him some animal protein such as scrambled eggs, natural greek yoghurt etc.

 

[berlyannpotter]

@berlyannpotter

Pale as in a bit pale in his face around his eyes etc.

I would inspect the coop carefully for blood sucking poultry mites and offer him some animal protein such as scrambled eggs, natural greek yoghurt etc.

There are no mites or lice. I check them daily. I put diatomaceous earth in the area. How would I identify them if they arent on the birds? Also, I clean out the grass clippings weekly or if it gets too wet. Under the grass is sand. If there's anything I can do better, I will.