Baby Chick with 4 toes but 5 toenails

[speckles]

Hi,

I have two baby chicks that were supposed to be barred rock but were born with feathered feet..so obviously not barred rocks, maybe cuckoo maran crosses? So they are three weeks old and I noticed that the male has a toenail coming out of the top of each foot at the top of the third toe. No toe attached just a nail. Then I went to look at the female and she has this starting too.

Is there a breed out there that does this..or is it just a defect?

They will look pretty mean as they get older

Any thought or advice would be great

Thanks
Cheryl

 

[Cab the Mane]

That's the claw they use to take down Hadrosaurs in packs... Err I mean... it's probably just a strange inherited trait... perhaps a distant five-toed ancestor?


Do you notice the claw impeding movement at all?

 

[speckles]

Hi,
No they dont seem to affect his walking but they are only three weeks right now. The extra nail goes straight up. I've never seen anything like it. I was thinking they may be more related to a velociraptor except the toenail is on the outside of the foot

Oh well..hopefully it will not affect them as they get older

Thanks
Cheryl