Rooster with twisted toes...help!

[jhart101]

I know this may be a simple/stupid question but I'm new to this and don't have any idea. My first time incubating (late last fall) I had 2 of 12 "Ebay" eggs hatch. Both turned out to be roosters...the question is one has weird feet/"toes". They are twisted clockwise in a circle so tight that he is basically standing on two "stubs". He doesn't appear to be uncomfortable but it looks strange. Just wondering if I did something to cause it, was it a gene thing or what?

Does anyone have any idea?

 

[realmofthewoodsranch]

It's not a stupid question, the only stupid questions are the ones not asked!
I don't know exactly what happened, but I think that might be from being squished all funny in the egg. I've read that it happens when the egg is (don't quote me on this) pointy side down. Not sure, but I know you'll get a good response! Good luck!

 

[jhart101]

Thanks Krystal...you know I may have very well had one turned wrong side down.

 

[PunkinPeep]

i've read that you can make a little cardboard boot for 'em, and it fixes 'em right up.

you might want to edit your post and change your title to "chick with twisted toes" or something like that so you'll get answers faster. the super knowledgeable folks like to know what your problem is in the title.

i just checked 'cause i wanted to know how stupid you are.

Just kidding, of course. i'm referring to your title. You're certainly not stupid, and i would have no idea about the answer except that i've read about that problem so many times on this board.

good luck.

 

[jhart101]

LOL...thanks! I did change the title per your suggestion.

 

[ybmagpye]

This comment won't do you any good for your poor rooster, but I had to add this. I had a friend who raised parakeets and if the hens didn't have enough calcium in their diet (I think it was the calcium anyway) the chicks would hatch with sort of twisted legs/feet.

So what I'm saying is, the eggs you purchased may have come from hens that were short on some nutritional portion of their diet. I am fairly certain that if you google the topic you'll find information on it

Good luck with your rooster!

 

[chick-a-bone2]

I had this happen at the beginning of the year with a chick I hatched. It came out of the egg fine but within a day or two the toes curled up. So it wasn't egg positioning. I tried the brace idea for the feet and giving the chick extra vitamins (PolyViSol) and it didn't work at all. I believe that it has something to do with the hen having some kind of deficiency, from what I've read, but when I asked the lady who shipped me the egss, she of course said that all her hens were perfect and that she never saw this before in any of her chicks. Go figure. I guess this is just another thing to "look forward to" when you buy eggs from someone you don't know.

 

[aidenbaby]

I, too, currently have a booted chick. If you search orthopedics, you will have a thread pulled up about it. I used a quarter for the "sole" of the boot but you can also use cardboard.

 

[jhart101]

Thanks, I searched orthopedics and got alot of really good info.

Thanks again for everyone's help! This is a great place with great people.