What causes curled toes?

[shelleyd2008]

The last few hatches I've had (that I was able to get anything to hatch from) has had 1 chick that hatched with curled toes? It's almost like a club foot, the whole foot and toes are curled under. My latest hatch (this morning) has 1 chick whose leg doesn't seem to be 'on' right, if that makes sense. It holds the leg straight out behind it, and the foot of that leg is curled. So what gives? Is it something I'm doing with incubation or what? I haven't had much luck at all hatching, and I don't know what's going on with that either.

 

[Katy]

It can either be a genetic flaw or it can also come from something that happened during incubation....like temperature ups and downs.

 

[tinners204]

It could be they where in the shell to long before they hatched. Did you have to help any out?

 

[seriousbill]

It is often caused by a vitamin deficiency in the breeder birds.

 

[shelleyd2008]

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/AA204

According to this site, all the problems that I am having can be caused by the temp and humidity during incubation.

So I think my temps are too low in my incubator. I am running it around 100 with a fan, but the fan is one that I added myself. So evidently the fan is not doing what it should. I think I'm gonna run it at 101, like it is a still air, I would rather have them hatch early and be 'normal' than late and be messed up. I'm so sick of tossing eggs that have mid-term or full sized chicks in them.


Is there anyway to fix its legs, or should I just cull it?

 

[newchickenfamily]

I had the same two problems that you did with my last hatch. One had curled toes and gets around fine. The other one, it's legs were on "wrong", both going completely different directions. I tried band-aid braces, rubber band braces, etc... to no avail. We had to cull that one.

I'm also having trouble with lots of the eggs getting to the very end, then dying in the shell.

I am going to invest in a more accurate (hopefully) thermometer/hygrometer before my next batch of eggs goes in. Thanks for the link to that site, it will be helpful for me too.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
That's what a lot of mine are doing too. I moved 4 eggs to the hatcher, and this one is the only one that made it. The others look like they quit about the same time they got moved. Or I have them quit very early, or midway through. I can't get any to hatch hardly. Out of over 70 eggs, I have hatched (counting this one) 12 chicks. I don't know what the deal is.

 

[becky3086]

I would try a new thermometer, sometimes that is the only problem. I had a lot of problems with chicks with leg problems when I had a homemade incubator. It just didn't hold the temp well enough but since I have had an LG I have seldom had leg problems in my chicks and if I do they are usually minor. I have heard that problems with your humidity can cause this as well but I just don't believe that can be true since I am now dry incubating and getting better results.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
That's what this site I found said, that too high of humidity and too low of temp can cause this. I'm thinking I have both those problems. I don't keep my humidity too high, especially not in that bator, the humidity won't stay up for long at all. But I just a week ago hatched 6 of 11 shipped millie eggs, and none of them had any problems?

ETA: And I have 5 different thermometers, and only one of them is 'off'. The others are all within 1 degree +/- of each other.

 

[tfpets]

I have talked to someone at a poultry show that corrected the problem in Moderns in newly hatched chicks. I could see how she dealt with it besides letting it go or culling - she has gone on to eventually show the same birds and won!
Very interesting. She said it is common in Moderns, as is leg issues. I can believe it, look at those legs n toes!
Tina