9-toed Silkie?

[KristaChickenWhisperer]

I noticed the strangest thing when I was checking my two babies for mites.

My white silkie...has four toes on one foot, and five on the other. I first noticed the four toed foot. So my first instinct was "What? This cant be a silkie..." but then I saw the five toed foot, so it puzzled me a bit.

Has anyone else had a silkie that has four toes on one foot and five on this other?

Could it be possible that its a mixed breed? Or just a genetic flaw?

 

[nzpouter]

for a second I thought it had 9 on one foot....

yours is normal, happened sometimes.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

It is a genetic flaw, not all that uncommon, although certainly something to breed away from.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

That is the first thing I look for when purchasing silkies since I want to sell eggs...I make sure not to choose the ones with five toes on each foot. They will make a good pet chicken though

 

[KristaChickenWhisperer]

They are strictly pets anyway, but I have never seen a silkie that doesn't have five toes on both feet haha so it surprised me a little bit!!

It was rather cute though...I went running into the house with the little fuzzy and yelled to my parents: "I have a special chicken!! You have to let me keep it now!!"

So my dad is going to end up building another pen for the chickens I bought without asking...and take care of them when I go back to college in the fall. He says he hates it but I know deep down inside he enjoys the fresh eggs.

Anyway, next time I am looking for show birds I will be sure to check the toes! haha!

 

[DiVon80]

Quote:
You said it.

 

[sred98]

Quote:
LOL! I did too! I thought Debiraymond was getting a new avatar!

Shelly

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

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Breeding it out is relatively easy since polydactyly is dominant. A bird who is outstanding in all other ways except for missing a toe shouldn't necessarily be removed from the breeding pool--you have to consider whether he or she will add more to the offspring than he or she removes. Certainly, it is better to use a bird who is perfect. But the reality is that a perfect bird doesn't exist.

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

Quote:
LOL! I did too! I thought Debiraymond was getting a new avatar!

Shelly