I use masking tape and tape their toes top and bottom. Just did a little duckling last week. I've never heard of curly toe killing a chick, that was probably something else like a yolk sac infection.
-Kathy
If I can get away with just tape I will do that, but I've had a few instances where something stronger was needed. Last summer it was a little BS, the toes just wanted to curl back up so bad that they would work their way loose inside the tape. I had to use the paper clips and tape the toes to them to keep them straight. Took about 2 days and they were fine. Agreed that the toes didn't kill the chick, sometimes there's just no way to tell what did. Mindy