Someone reassure me....

[StarBop]

I picked up three 6 week old pullets on Saturday. A buff orpington, welsummer and easter egger. I set them up away from everyone else in a quiet room and left them alone to until they de stressed from the move. When I check on them Sunday morning I noticed the easter egger has very bad crooked toes. I contacted the seller who was very nice and offered to replace her with another. I just feel so bad she's such a cutie but definitely the most nervous of the three. She does seem to walk okay, maybe a little slower than the others, and her toes are so crooked that I worry about her being able to roost . I just feel terrible about this. Am I doing the right thing?

 

[Egghead_Jr]

If she is young enough you can make boots with paper board for bottom and tape to straighten the feet. She'll hobble along but can correct the problem if kept on for a few days.

Oops, reread and see she's 6 weeks old. Maybe.

Personally I'd just return her as the seller is offering that. No headache and healthy bird to keep.

 

[gander007]

Here before you get imprinted on the chick do a trade with
the seller as they are willing that is a great seller and you are
so lucky to have such a person and try to smooth out any
problems down the road ...

 

[StarBop]

I took her back and switched for another orpington turned out all the other EEs she had all had crooked toes. So it was most likely a genetic problem. She didn't breed them she bought them from a farm store. She was very nice and told me she had a 4h family that was going to take all the affected chicks. I feel so much better. I looked each chick over really well but, I learned a great lesson, look at your chicks feet, watch them walk if you can etc...

 

[gander007]

I took her back and switched for another orpington turned out all the other EEs she had all had crooked toes. So it was most likely a genetic problem. She didn't breed them she bought them from a farm store. She was very nice and told me she had a 4h family that was going to take all the affected chicks. I feel so much better. I looked each chick over really well but, I learned a great lesson, look at your chicks feet, watch them walk if you can etc...

This just made you a wise shopper yes inspect the entire chick over vent feet beak wings watch them walk and play and see if they eat and drink all very important

You had a very responsible seller that just purchased a bad lot and was good enough to work with you and that makes you very lucky or you could have been stuck with a very big problem down the road ....

Good luck with your poultry