My new chick has a club foot

[chattery41]

My first chick hatched in my DIY incubator came in to the world just as pretty as u plz. Only about 6 hours from pipping to hatch. But one of his feet the claws are turned under and he walks on it like that. They will straighten out if i pick him up and run my finger under his foot and straighten them but they go back to curled when i stop. What would cause this ? Was it anything to do with incubation ? Other than this he seems to be very healthy. Any thoughts welcome

 

[Eggcessive]

Get him on poultry vitamins in the water right away. Don't use Poultry Nutri-Drench because it has no riboflavin. Riboflavin deficiency could be a problem. You may also be able to splint the toes or make a shoe. Here is a link to read from Poultry Pedia Podiatry: https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry

Chick Shoes for Twisted or Curled Toes

• CAUTION: A chick wearing Chick Shoes can easily drown if it stumbles near a water container. See "Prevent Drowning in Water Dish"section.
• Use for splinting and correcting Twisted Toes, or sometimes to help with Curled Toes. (With Twisted Toes, an adult or chick walks on sides of twisted toes. With Curled Toes, a chick walks on tops of curled toes.)
• Cut out a small, flat triangle a little larger than the size that the chick's foot should be when toes are spread. Position each toe correctly and then use a small piece of sports tape to tape the toe to the cardboard.
  • Triangle be cut from sponge, thin cardboard/paperboard or a piece of a plastic lid from something like a sour cream container.
  • Illustrations that can be adapted for chicks or older birds are posted at https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/710778/deformed-claw-unable-to-fix-now-what.
• A different type of chick shoe splint can be made from pipe cleaners (or flower arranging wire and thin padding, for older chickens).
  • Instructions for this kind of chick shoe and also a half chick shoe at http://www.unitedpeafowlassociation.org/PeachickOrthopedics.html
    • Recommendation: Use sports tape instead of duct tape.
• If treating young chick: Important to put on new shoe at least every 1-3 days while feet growing fast.The chick will likely need to wear the shoes a total of 4 days to 2 weeks, depending on the severity of the problem
  • Make sure shoe size increased regularly so foot doesn't outgrow shoe. Toe Taping (See below) may be better for treating some problems.
  • Notice and correct sooner if chick wiggles toe into wrong position, before deformities are caused.
• If treating older bird: You may want to treat moderately twisted toes if causing problems. Do not try to correct long-term, severely twisted toes. Bones, muscles & ligaments are mature & may not be able to be reshaped, or will change more slowly.
  • Aim for gradual reshaping.
  • Check regularly that there isn't too much debris sticking to shoe, & that toes haven't slipped loose.
  • Change the shoe at least every 4-7 days.The bird may need to wear the shoes and/or have its toes taped (See below) for 2-5 weeks.
• *Be extra sure to follow Special Note on Removing Tape from Legs, Feet & Toes instructions.

 

[chattery41]

Thank you for the info. Will be making splints for a baby chick. LOL The things life brings my way.