Crooked toes (CT) is a skeletal condition, characterized by the curving or curling of one or more of the toes. One or both feet may be affected, with severity ranging from mild to severe. If the condition is caught early on, it can often be corrected, although even without intervention, chickens with crooked toes can live normal lives.
Depending on the severity, chickens with crooked toes may be more at risk of developing
bumblefoot.
- History
- Clinical signs
- Physical exam
Corrective grow-with-me sandal: If the deformity is caught early on, when the chick is still growing, trace around the chick's foot on a piece of paper using a pencil.
Using coffee stirrers, pipe cleaners, wooden skewers or other similar material, cut to the length of the chick's foot, as if it were it's normal appearance.
Secure the pipe cleaners (or similar-like material) to the toes of the chick using Vetwrap or duck tape (even normal tape would work). It should be snug but not too tight, as you don't want to cut off circulation in the chick's foot.
Secure the cardboard (or similar-like material to the bottom of the chick's foot and to the pipe cleaners.
- Ensuring chicks are raised on a surface other than wire or of slippery material.
- Feeding a balanced diet
- Rebecca Duerr, DVM MPVM. Splinting Avian Fractures International Bird Rescue Research Center (2020)
- Oviedo-Rondón, E. O., et al.. Influence of gait on bone strength in turkeys with leg defects Poultry science 97.8 (2018)
- Eusebio-Balcazar, P., Oviedo-Rondón, E. O., Wineland, M. J., Osborne, J., & Brake, J. Effect of broiler breeder feeding programme and feeder space change at photostimulation using maize-or wheat-based diets on broiler progeny growth performance and leg health British poultry science (2015)
- Eleroglu, H., Yildirim, A., Duman, M., & Sekeroglu, A.. The welfare of slow growing broiler genotypes reared in organic system. Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture (2015)
- Bryant, R. L., & Lockhart, W. C. Developing Inbred Lines of Poultry NDSU Institutional Repository (2015)
- Oviedo-Rondón, E. O., et al. Incubation conditions affect leg health in large, high-yield broilers \Journal of Applied Poultry Research 18.3 (2009)
- Campo, J. L., and M. T. Prieto. Associations among fluctuating asymmetry, duration of tonic immobility, heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and one-legged standing, crooked toes, or footpad dermatitis in chickens Poultry science 88.1 (2009)
- Oviedo-Rondón, E. O., et al. Effect of incubation temperatures and chick transportation conditions on bone development and leg health Journal of Applied Poultry Research 18.4 (2009)
- W Muir & S Aggrey Poultry Genetics, Breeding and Biotechnology. CABI Publishing (2003)
- Chmielewski, N. T., et al. Cataracts and Crooked Toes in Brahma Chickens Avian diseases (1993)
- Summers, J. D., et al. Influence of vitamin deficiency and level of dietary protein on the incidence of leg problems in broiler chicks. Poultry science 63.6 (1984)
- Taha, Nazar Thannoon A genetic study of crooked toes and crooked keels in chickens. Dissertation Abstracts International, B 40.12 (1980)
- Nestor, Karl E Crooked toes in turkeys. Poultry science 50.6 (1971)
- Hicks Jr, Amp F., and I. Michael Lerner. Hereditary Crooked Toes in Chickens Poultry Science 28.4 (1949)
