Malformed Turkey feet

[litahimura]

I'm just wondering what could cause a chick to have missing toes. I hatched out a batch of turkeys and 1 of them is missing a couple toes on 1 foot and has only 2 on the other. I collected the eggs in December and was wondering if cold temperatures could've caused this. The chick is healthy and very active, just has a hard time getting around. Does anyone have experience with this? I plan on raising the little guy and keeping him strictly as a pet. Right now I am treating it like spraddle leg to get him used to having the legs under him, I am just hoping that he will be able to walk freely in the future with care.

 

[R2elk]

I'm just wondering what could cause a chick to have missing toes. I hatched out a batch of turkeys and 1 of them is missing a couple toes on 1 foot and has only 2 on the other. I collected the eggs in December and was wondering if cold temperatures could've caused this. The chick is healthy and very active, just has a hard time getting around. Does anyone have experience with this? I plan on raising the little guy and keeping him strictly as a pet. Right now I am treating it like spraddle leg to get him used to having the legs under him, I am just hoping that he will be able to walk freely in the future with care.

It is most likely a genetic defect due to inbreeding. I highly recommend that you do not add it to your or anyone's breeding flock. I know that you don't want to hear this but if it was mine, I would cull it now.

 

[litahimura]

I thought that might be a possibility. Since it seems to be healthy and eating fine I plan to keep him as a pet and not allow him any access to the rest of the flock. If it turns out to be a tom then I guess I will have a turkey ready for next thanksgiving. All the other chicks are normal and doing fine and I only had 2 die in the shell. No other deformities. I thought that possibly that since I collected the eggs end of November and beginning December that maybe freezing temperatures could play a part in it. I will however be looking for a new Tom just in case. Thank you for your input.