Four days in, and you're already elbow-deep in poopy butt duty, wondering if that curled toe is a ticking time bomb or just another chicken curveball. We get it. The little feather nuggets arrive full of promise, and within a week you're googling "curled toe chick normal" while scrubbing dried poop off a creature the size of a plum. This isn't just a toe question, it's the universal chicken-keeping panic test. And you passed. Because you noticed it early, you're handling them twice a day, and you're asking instead of assuming. That's more than most of us can say.
The toe itself? Could be a slipped tendon, could be a genetic quirk from the hatchery, could be nothing at all. The fact that she isn't limping yet is a good sign, but that "yet" in your post tells us you've been burned before. Smart. Chickens are masters of hiding pain until they can't anymore. Our honest take: keep doing exactly what you're doing, gentle handling, clean conditions, and observation. If the toe stays curled but she moves fine, she might just be the quirky one in the flock. If it worsens, a tiny splint made from a Q-tip and medical tape has saved more than one chick's strut. You've got time. Don't panic until you have to.
Now, the poopy butt situation. You remember last year being easier, and you're not wrong. Hatchery stress, temperature swings, and even the probiotic schedule can throw their tiny guts off. You're doing probiotics every other day, good. But four days of persistent mess might mean the feed is too rich or the brooder is a degree too warm. Or it could just be a batch of chicks who hit the "mud button" more than others. Practical advice: check the vent area after every cleaning, dab a little coconut oil if it's red or irritated, and if the poop stays loose past day seven, switch to a plain starter feed with no extras for a few days. Sometimes less is more when their systems are figuring things out.
Bottom line: your chick's toe is probably not broken, and her butt is a hassle not a crisis. You're not chickening out, you're doing the grunt work that keeps a flock healthy. Keep your eyes open, your hands gentle, and your sense of humor intact. And the next time someone asks how your chicks are doing, tell them you're running a spa for miniature dinosaurs with digestive issues. Because you are.