Deformities?

[Mare Miller]

What's the scoop with birds having deformed feet? Is it an inbreeding cause?

 

[cdog]

It could be inbreeding, an injury or one of the easiest way to deform feet is the wrong type of bedding used in the nest box/brooder. Using the wrong nest box/brooder bedding is a big cause because of how pliable baby birds' feet are, it is important to use the right bedding otherwise you can cause deformed feet or splayed leg.

 

[Ginkai]

I had a black cockatiel a few years ago who had all the toes on both feet pointing forwards, she couldn't grip at all. Would that have been an inbreeding issue, a past injury or a bedding thing? I rescued her so knew nothing of her past. Her cage was full of maggots when I got her.

 

[Grenage]

Her cage was full of maggots when I got her.

Christ, that's terrible!

 

[Ginkai]

Yeah! Plus the cage was to small for a budgie let alone her as a teil. She needed alot of special care, always had to be cradled to be carried cause she couldn't grip, had to have a cage that had more bottom surface area since she couldn't use perches. But Damn she got strong wings, even clipped she could fly nearly perfectly. Her main way of getting around when I wasn't home.

 

[Mayden]

Merlin's bad leg is due to being sat on by the parents. Deformities are usually down to accidents like that, or breeders not having things like a concave area, meaning the chicks legs have to go straight out like they're doing the splits! Their little bones are so... flexible during that time that anything can happen :'(

 

[PortaPerch]

We've had up to a dozen pet chickens over the years, and at one time some of them got "Bumblefoot", which we were able to cure.

From wiki:
Bumblefoot on birds of prey
Bumblefoot is, perhaps, the largest cause of referral of birds of prey to a veterinary surgeon. Bumblefoot on birds of prey can be put into three broad types of the infection;
In the first type, a small reddened area, or sometimes a small shiny patch, can be seen on the foot. This is mostly caused by inappropriate perching (or perching for too long), or, less likely, by badly fitted furniture, such as jesses that are too small. To treat this type, one must change the fault in the husbandry, fly the bird regularly, and apply hemorrhoid cream to the affected foot.
The second type is more serious, where some penetration has occurred. While treatment for the first type will help, it is likely that the bird will require antibiotics as well.
The third type involves the bird having severe distortion of the contours of the foot and/or the toes, resulting from the Bumblefoot causing considerable damage in the foot.

Bumblefoot in poultry and waterfowl
Bumblefoot is a common infection for domesticated poultry and waterfowl such as chickens and ducks. Due to constant walking on hard, rough, or sharp surfaces, birds can develop small wounds on the bottom of their feet. These wounds are very susceptible to infection by Staphylococcus aureus, bacteria which can cause bumblefoot in poultry and waterfowl. Treatment often requires opening the wound to drain the pus and antibiotic treatment and local application of pyodine as local dressing.

Bumblefoot in rodents
Bumblefoot in rodents is caused by wire and mesh flooring and/or wheels that have not been cleaned for a while. This is due to a collection of urine and fecal matter collecting on the surface in trace amounts. To prevent Bumblefoot, a layer of cardboard and/or old clothing can be put over the wire mesh on the floor. This must be changed often, at least a few times a week. [1] The only rodent not affected is the gerbil, which has tougher feet and can safely walk on mesh and wire.

Etymology
Bumblefoot is so named because of the characteristic "bumbles" or lesions as well as swelling of the foot pad symptomatic of an infection. Topical antiseptics such as Blue-Kote in addition to oral or injected antibiotics may be used to combat the infection, which if left untreated may be fatal.[2]

 

[Mare Miller]

Ohhh, that's terrible, Ginkai! Awesome of you to rescue her, poor baby.

 

[Ginkai]

Yeah I loved her. And she only loved me, she wouldn't let anyone handle her except me. Unfortunately I only had her about 3 yrs until she escaped and flew away. I searched but never found her and given her disablility I know she would have been dead quickly.