6 Toed Silkie Chicken

[daisyd]

Hi,
We have a rooster, about 4 months old and he has 6 toes. Can we use this rooster for breeding or is it in the genes and is it carried forward when breeding?
Thanks for any feedback

 

[tracylhl]

That's a genetic odditycalled a polydactyl gene. Have you heard about Hemingway's 6-toed cats in Key West? For the past almost hundred years, the gene of one of his cats has been being passed along and there are now about 60 of cats in Key West that are all related to his one cat that had 6 toes on one foot!

 

[Uppity Peon]

If you want show quality chickens you have to avoid using parent stock with genetic abnormalities like that.

 

[wolfie]

Yes I would avoid breeding him like uppity said try to avoid gentic abnormalities if you were to show him or any of his offspring with six toes it would be a DQ and if you were to hatch chicks from him and they came with only five toes instead of six those chicks would still carry the six toe gene so it might show in future generations.

 

[SeralTaooke]

One of my cocks has an extra toenail on his extra toe- is that the same kind of deal?

 

[daisyd]

Thanks for the replies !

 

[chickenzoo]

Even in the best bred Silkies extra or less toes happen.