This morning we noticed one crooked toe on a ten week old Rhode Island Red and one crooked toe on an eight week old Barred Rock (I think). The outer toe seems curled so severely towards the outside the the nail is actually pointing backwards instead of towards the ground yet we are able to move the toe and it does not appear to cause any pain.
They have been in their coop for about a week and a half at this point with the other 20 pullets, it has shavings on the floor and hay (or straw?) on the shelf under the roosting poles. We regularly handle our chickens and so I am certain that this is a new development as opposed to a birth defect or anomaly.
They are eating and drinking well and show no signs of illness or discomfort even when range of motion is gently tested.
We have been placing them on their roosting poles each evening which are 6-8 inches above a very large shelf which is roughly 2-3 feet off the floor. We have watched them jump down and they seem to have figured out good landing skills and are even starting to fly up there themselves during the day.
We feed them Nutrena Nature-Wise vegetarian chick starter/grower. For the first four weeks they were fed DuMor chick starter.
As a vegetarian, I know that humans are prone to vitamin B deficiencies and I rather wonder if our vegetarian feed does not adequately address that despite it's fortification. Can anyone recommend a good vitamin and detail appropriate use or expected time for recovery? Are there any other options as to what could cause this?
They have been in their coop for about a week and a half at this point with the other 20 pullets, it has shavings on the floor and hay (or straw?) on the shelf under the roosting poles. We regularly handle our chickens and so I am certain that this is a new development as opposed to a birth defect or anomaly.
They are eating and drinking well and show no signs of illness or discomfort even when range of motion is gently tested.
We have been placing them on their roosting poles each evening which are 6-8 inches above a very large shelf which is roughly 2-3 feet off the floor. We have watched them jump down and they seem to have figured out good landing skills and are even starting to fly up there themselves during the day.
We feed them Nutrena Nature-Wise vegetarian chick starter/grower. For the first four weeks they were fed DuMor chick starter.
As a vegetarian, I know that humans are prone to vitamin B deficiencies and I rather wonder if our vegetarian feed does not adequately address that despite it's fortification. Can anyone recommend a good vitamin and detail appropriate use or expected time for recovery? Are there any other options as to what could cause this?
