Toe taping… is this right?

[Carterborchers]

My shipping hatching eggs were severely shaken. Most didn’t develop very far. This guy did, but he was malpositioned and had curly toes. Is this the right position of the tape? When I take them off, will it take some time for him to relearn to walk, or if he’s not able to walk well, does it mean he needs to be euthanized?

I applied painter’s tape within 8 hours (he hatched overnight), and tried to reapply it better the next day. There did seem to be some improvement in the curliness, but he couldn’t really walk when I set him down for a minute to get masking tape ready to readjust.

 

[Eggcessive]

Does the chick have splayed legs as well? Here is a good link with pictures of the toe taping for crooked toes to compare with yours:
https://www.mypetchicken.com/blogs/faqs/my-chicks-toes-are-all-curled-up-whats-wrong-with-her#:~:text=Sometimes a chick will develop,in one or both feet.&text=It's possible that she has,might occur after she's hatched.

Sometimes letting them stand up in a little shot, small wine glass or juice glass can help them build strength in the legs to stand. If you get some chick vitamins with riboflavin, Poultry Cell, or human super B complex tablets 1/4 tablet crushed in a spoonful of water daily, you can give one of those which may help.

Splayed or spraddle legs are when the legs are farther apart than normal. This link is good with a diagram of how to tape splayed legs together for 3 days or so to help:
https://poultrydvm.com/condition/splayed-leg

 

[Carterborchers]

The legs aren’t splayed. When he hatched partway and stoped making progress, I assisted. One of his legs was over his head, and I was surprised he could even “unfold.” His legs looked pretty useless, with them curled up around his butt, and the toes curled and inward. I tried my best to use the “toe sandwich” masking tape, but their little feet are so small. He’s getting around… sort of pushing with his shoes and crawling, but he spends most of the time under the heat plate away from the others. I’ve been hand feeding him a “superfood” liquid I was given by a vet for one of my adult button quail.

Now, suddenly, another chick seems to have trouble walking and lifting his head. I’m guessing wry neck. It’s day 2 of his life. I don’t know if there’s anything I can do at this point aside from vitamins.

And one chick just looks weird to me. Instead of being a stubby little thing, he’s very skinny, long neck and walks very vertically. He looks like a tiny T-Rex. Don’t know how many will make it. Out of 20, 7 hatched. One had one curly foot that I put tape on, and when I tried to get it on better the next day, they were straight and he was walking! One has very curly toes, one with potential wry neck.

I don’t know that I’ll ever have eggs shipped to me before. I’m not able to cull a chick.

 

[Eggcessive]

The vitamin B complex or Poultry Cell hopefully will help them. Let us know how they get along.

 

[Carterborchers]

I’m usually a pessimist, but very optimistic about this sweet guy. I used the masking tape method someone suggested (thank you!). It wasn’t easy to get it on right, but FAR easier than trying to cull him. I left tape on for 2.5 days. I would have waited a little longer, but noticed that when he began to finally stand up on his legs to use them, he wasn’t getting good traction and I worried about causing splayed legs too. Here’s the difference! I put him back in the brooder, expecting him to have a lot of trouble adjusting. A little wobbly, but walking with straight toes! So to anyone who sees this and has the same problem in the future, it’s possible for little button feet too!

 

[TexasBlues]

The tape should help. You got it on at the right time.

 

[Carterborchers]

The tape should help. You got it on at the right time.

I took it off today, after 2.5 days, and it seems to have worked. I can’t believe how well it worked!

 

[Carterborchers]

The vitamin B complex or Poultry Cell hopefully will help them. Let us know how they get along.

I bought poultry cell last night to keep on hand. For button hatchlings, do you just add a little to the water?

 

[TexasBlues]

I took it off today, after 2.5 days, and it seems to have worked. I can’t believe how well it worked!

They are very soft and moldable in those first days.
I had to tape a foot also and I was surprised how well it worked. The chick ended up healthy and strong and is about 7 months old now.

 

[Eggcessive]

I bought poultry cell last night to keep on hand. For button hatchlings, do you just add a little to the water?

I would give a drop or two orally daily right into the beak. So glad the toes are looking good.