The Poultry Health & Hatching Forum

Discuss all health, welfare, hatching and incubation issues


A question for the "olde hands".

Having my newer larger incubator let me down twice this year I was forced to hatch in my old mini one. All went well with the hatch rates but I notice that some of the birds have crooked toes (bent at a digit as though they were broken). I sold 5 dozen of my hatching eggs to a friend who doesn't have any with this problem nor does my parent stock have it. Could this be an incubation or a brooder problem? Since these are a rare breed I need to keep some of the cocks. (I have two and both of them have it.) Could this trait now be heriditory?

Joseph lawler
Monday, November 1st, 2021

I am not an olde hand. But I do think that I remember reading that if the humidity is wrong, or maybe if the air sac in the egg is too big or too small it can cause the chick to be deformed and unhealthy. I am not sure on this but I think I read something about that.

craigmartin
Monday, November 1st, 2021

Too high a temperature in the later stages of incubation or incubators with very smooth hatching trays can cause crooked toes, also vitamin and mineral issues in breeding stock can cause this issue.
It is not uncommon for 2 - 3 % of chicks to develop this. You can make booties to help straighten them. follow link below.

www.hobbyfarms.com/crooked-toe-disorder-treatment-chicks-pou...

Flock Master
Monday, November 1st, 2021

Thank you for the replies. My fowl are 18 and 22 weeks old now so past the bootee stage. I think they developed this as I didn't notice it when they hatched. I rear them on newspaper in their brooder for the first few weeks maybe that is too smooth? They scratch, perch, even climb trees with no bother and are strong and healthy it just doesn't look good. My main concern is that they could pass it on.

Joseph lawler
Monday, November 1st, 2021


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