Less developed chick with limp

[singswithravens]

I'm a new chicken AND duck mom. I did a ton of research for 2 years before starting my flock but nothing prepared me for my own idiocy. I raised my chicks and ducklings together - 4 Rouen ducklings with 9 chicks. Out of everything I read, I wasn't prepared for how MUCH water the ducklings throw around. Now that they're older, they have seperate pens. The ducklings are about 7 weeks, the chicks are 6. When they were in the same pen, I hadn't realized that one of my New Hampshire Reds was less developed than the other 2. I also didn't realize (at first) that she was wet... The ducklings were making SUCH a mess with the water, and the other chickens had the sense to stay away from it but I guess Lil Red liked them too much. When I realized her stomach was wet, I brought her inside, gave her a warm bath with just water, and blow dried her. I had to do this several times until we were ready to seperate the 2 species (it was 3 days). Because she was colder, wet, and dirtier, she didn't eat or walk as much, so she's far behind (her sisters are much bigger and have almost fully feathered heads, hers is not even half feathered). Once we seperated them (about 3 weeks ago), she gained huge strides. She's catching up fast. But the last time I had to bathe her, I noticed a tiny amount of blood on her foot. I couldn't find any cuts, lifted scales, nothing. She seemed fine other than the fact that her legs weren't as strong as her sisters, and I chalked that up to the fact that she had been cold and wet so she had huddled and not walked as much as the others. But last week I noticed her walking oddly - again, I thought it was the fact that she's underdeveloped compared to the others. But then I noticed one of her toes at an odd angle. I have NO idea how it might have happened, but I think she may have broken her toe. And it doesn't seem to bother her or even slow her down. On her left foot, the most inward toe is not straight (I wish I could get a picture but all I got was a video and you can't even see the foot in question so I didn't bother attaching it), it's curved outward in an unnatural way. Will this cause lasting harm? Should I bother taking her to the vet? These are laying/pet chickens, not production chickens.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm a new chicken AND duck mom. I did a ton of research for 2 years before starting my flock but nothing prepared me for my own idiocy. I raised my chicks and ducklings together - 4 Rouen ducklings with 9 chicks. Out of everything I read, I wasn't prepared for how MUCH water the ducklings throw around. Now that they're older, they have seperate pens. The ducklings are about 7 weeks, the chicks are 6. When they were in the same pen, I hadn't realized that one of my New Hampshire Reds was less developed than the other 2. I also didn't realize (at first) that she was wet... The ducklings were making SUCH a mess with the water, and the other chickens had the sense to stay away from it but I guess Lil Red liked them too much. When I realized her stomach was wet, I brought her inside, gave her a warm bath with just water, and blow dried her. I had to do this several times until we were ready to seperate the 2 species (it was 3 days). Because she was colder, wet, and dirtier, she didn't eat or walk as much, so she's far behind (her sisters are much bigger and have almost fully feathered heads, hers is not even half feathered). Once we seperated them (about 3 weeks ago), she gained huge strides. She's catching up fast. But the last time I had to bathe her, I noticed a tiny amount of blood on her foot. I couldn't find any cuts, lifted scales, nothing. She seemed fine other than the fact that her legs weren't as strong as her sisters, and I chalked that up to the fact that she had been cold and wet so she had huddled and not walked as much as the others. But last week I noticed her walking oddly - again, I thought it was the fact that she's underdeveloped compared to the others. But then I noticed one of her toes at an odd angle. I have NO idea how it might have happened, but I think she may have broken her toe. And it doesn't seem to bother her or even slow her down. On her left foot, the most inward toe is not straight (I wish I could get a picture but all I got was a video and you can't even see the foot in question so I didn't bother attaching it), it's curved outward in an unnatural way. Will this cause lasting harm? Should I bother taking her to the vet? These are laying/pet chickens, not production chickens.

Welcome To BYC

A photo of her feet would be helpful.

Other than that, from your description, it sounds like she may have Crooked Toes. This can be due to brooder flooring being too cold, genetics, improper incubation, etc.
Since she was getting wet and chilled, I'd lean toward the "flooring" being too cold.

There's not a way to correct Crooked Toes, apparently the toes set fairly quickly into whatever shape. Often birds are not bothered by the toes being crooked and do just fine.

There is Curled Toes also, which shouldn't be confused with Crooked toes. (Link Below)

Since she's a little behind. I would STILL give her vitamins to help with leg support and hopefully the feet too (you never know). Give her 1/4 tablet B-Complex once daily for at least 2 weeks. You can go longer, it's hard to overdo B Vitamins and any excess are excreted in the urine.

Crooked Toes with photo:
https://poultrykeeper.com/skeletal-...er: a) Genetic,incorrect or humidity too low .

Curled for comparison description:
https://poultrykeeper.com/skeletal-muscular-nervous/curled-toes/

 

[singswithravens]

Welcome To BYC

A photo of her feet would be helpful.

Other than that, from your description, it sounds like she may have Crooked Toes. This can be due to brooder flooring being too cold, genetics, improper incubation, etc.
Since she was getting wet and chilled, I'd lean toward the "flooring" being too cold.

There's not a way to correct Crooked Toes, apparently the toes set fairly quickly into whatever shape. Often birds are not bothered by the toes being crooked and do just fine.

There is Curled Toes also, which shouldn't be confused with Crooked toes. (Link Below)

Since she's a little behind. I would STILL give her vitamins to help with leg support and hopefully the feet too (you never know). Give her 1/4 tablet B-Complex once daily for at least 2 weeks. You can go longer, it's hard to overdo B Vitamins and any excess are excreted in the urine.

Crooked Toes with photo:
https://poultrykeeper.com/skeletal-muscular-nervous/crooked-toes/#:~:text=Causes: Either: a) Genetic,incorrect or humidity too low .

Curled for comparison description:
https://poultrykeeper.com/skeletal-muscular-nervous/curled-toes/

So I was able to get some pics today, hope it helps. As you can see, it's just the 1 toe - that's why I thought it might be an injury. But what you said makes perfect sense. She improved a lot once we seperated the flocks.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

So I was able to get some pics today, hope it helps. As you can see, it's just the 1 toe - that's why I thought it might be an injury. But what you said makes perfect sense. She improved a lot once we seperated the flocks.

Could have been due to injury. Looks like she's standing o.k. and you report she moves about really well. I'd just enjoy her and let her be a sweet girl!

I'm glad she's improved.

 

[singswithravens]

Could have been due to injury. Looks like she's standing o.k. and you report she moves about really well. I'd just enjoy her and let her be a sweet girl!

I'm glad she's improved.

Thanks! I just wanted to make sure it wasn't something that should be looked at. She seems happy and not in pain, just behind, developmentally.