Little twisted foot on Chinese painted quail?

[yarnlady]

Hello all, I was incubating 11 eggs in a mini chick-bator and today is day 19.  Early in the incubation, we had a mishap where my grandma turned off the AC in my house while I was out and the eggs sat at 103.5 degrees for a few hours so I wasn't sure they'd hatch.  Today I cracked one open and it was a rotting mess inside, so I assumed that they were all like that.  I turned off the incubator and set it aside. About an hour later, I went to pick it up and throw the other eggs out... and out popped one quail out of its egg in a matter of a second!!! The temperature was 75 degrees in there, how is that possible that it chose that huge drop in temperature to start pipping?  I live in South Florida, so maybe the thermometer wasn't accurate or something?

Anyway I'm obviously not throwing any of them out right now, though it's been 3 hours and it's the only one that's hatched. I'm going to leave the rest in there for another few days and put the other one in the brooder tomorrow. 

My question is - the quail that has hatched seems to be totally healthy and active and LOUD =) but its right foot's toes seem to be curled inward. Its left foot's toes are flat and normal looking. The foot still seems usable and it's hopping about and looking happy as a clam. Is this normal? Is it going to be okay? Thanks in advance for any and all advice!

[pamike]

I'm not really the guy to answer your question fully but I Don't think it was related to incubation. I think it has more to do with genetics. But I could be wrong.

mike

[yarnlady]

Thank you Mike!  Yeah, I figured it wasn't due to incubation. It's only 3 hours out of its shell, though, so maybe it'll straighten out on its own? The chick is already standing upright and running around, bumfoot and all.  What I'd like to know is, if it doesn't straighten out and it can still use the foot, is it going to be able to live a relatively normal life or is this too crippling for it to survive?

Can you tell I'm a complete novice? *g*

Andrea

[pamike]

The only thing I know to do is wait and see. If it is too crippled and it is affecting it too much you could always dispatch it.

BTW I am not a pro either, I haven't even got my first batch in the bator. But I don't think I have to worry about leaving the AC on here in PA.

mike

[woodenegg]

I have had chicks with toes curled like they were in the egg.  Most of the time they will straighten out in a day or two as they become fully mobile and active.  With the chick-abator, the process is not as controlled as we would like and this can cause some problems.  Some they grow out of and others remain.  Keep and eye on him and if he's happy, active and eating, he'll make a good pet.

[aKirA]

yea. Many possibilities why he came out that way. Could be low humidty during incubation or High temps....or genetics.

As the others said, as long as it can move around to feed then he should be fine. good luck.

[yarnlady]

The toes do seem to be straightening out, and it can definitely move around just fine! It's even climbing over the other eggs. Thanks all for your advice.  :)