New Momma...Chick toes look bent or broken

[chikenlady]

Hi all, I just hatched 8 Barred Rock and 6 Black Aust. chicks. They are now 1 week old! This is my first venture into chickens so I have a question. A few chicks seem to have a toe or two that is not straight. Will it straighten out or did it get broken somehow?

I also read somewhere that you should trim a chick's beak (yikes!). Is this necessary and/or recommended?

I am a second grade teacher, so after I was successful with these chicks, I have set 16 Blue Cochin eggs in my classroom. The kids are excited...it will be a long wait for them I'm sure.

I do plan to keep all my chickens. I am a bit worried about how many roosters I will have. Is it okay to keep grown roosters together?

Thanks,

Lori

 

[ticks]

You only need to clip their beak if they are cannibalistic or if they are hurting each other with their beak. for the roosters I am keeping one rooster for my 6 hens. (I am new to this to so i'm not completely sure on how many roosters per hen)

 

[MissPrissy]

For curly toes cut a small piece of cardboard the size of the feet and using band-aids tape the toes out straight and into place.

Here is the baby I had with curly toes.

 

[Deee]

Hi there, we were looking at this website and have has to tape our little chickens foot like the pic shows. He is a week old. How long should we leave it on for?
He didn't seem very impressed with us when we did it but he seems to be okay
Thanks

 

[suebee]

I tried the "flatten, straighten" toe remedy and every morning I found he had managed to get it off. He's 5 years old now and has crooked toes but king over 2 other roosters.

I think you should keep it on a week. Check it and if they're not fixed, keep it on an additional week.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Also don't trim a roosters' beak.

The rooster-hen ratio is a big debate and each situation and breed is different. I have only silkies. 3 roosters to 9 hens. Most would say too many roosters but only one rooster is allowed to mate because he's the king or Alpha Male. The ideal setup is one rooster for 8-10 hens.

Great pic M.Prissy!!! (He looks sooooo mad!

)