Would you accept a rooster with curled toes?

happens once in a while. Not normal.

I had a salmon faverolle hen and a black Ameraucana roo with curved toes.

 

What do you want the roo for? Showing? Breeding? A Pet? Does the toe interfere with his functioning? All that makes a big difference whether or not the curled toe is a problem.

 

If the person who sold you the 'pair' of birds, and charged you a good deal of money for them, told you curled toes were normal, it seems logical to question their judgement. Can't blame you!!

 

Curled toes can be a vitamin deficiency- where is Kathyinmo? She did some research on this- it is not necessarily a genetic problem that would be passed on, if you want the birds for breeding. I don't know what a judge would say if you show the birds.

 

It is a vitamin deficiency. It is also a sign of heavy inbreeding. Often Tolbunts and badly bred Easter Eggers can throw this trait, and no, it is not normal or wanted. If you paid good money for him, I'd be quite upset if I were you.

 

just be happy you weren't the one that paid over $1000 for a pair!

curled toes can be a deficiency in the parent birds when they were breeding, lack of biotin or a b vitamin. i have seen it in my favs and when mentioned on the fav thread one of the top breeders mentioned that it is not really genetic unless you are doing all the right stuff by giving them extra vitamins and minerals during breeding, and the curled toes happen in most of the chicks and continue into the next generation. when 2 of my chicks started out with slightly curved/curled toes or ones pointing in an obviously wrong direction i upped their vitamins and the toes seemed to straighten out within the week after hatch.

i also think it depends on the severity of the curled toes since i had a frizzle roo that had both feet curled completely and learned to walk on the sides of he feet! he figured how to hold onto the hens but his attitude turned aggressive and he had to go! i never hatched any eggs while he was in the pen since he was still young .

 

Curled toes can also be from too high of temperature in the incubator.

I would never sell a cockerel with curled toes, there are too many good ones in every hatch. I would ask for a refund or for them to ship a different bird.

ETA: I just wanted to clarify my response is for if the bird has really bent curled toes. Sometimes birds toes don't always lay perfectly straight and can be twisted just slightly. I guess what I am saying is "we need pictures".

 

How old are the birds? Too old to try and "fix" them?

Regardless, I don't think you should have been sold a bird with curled toes...especially when you paid $175 for a pair. I would ask for the breeder to replace the bird with the curled toes, or I would ask for a refund.