Baby Silkie born with 8 1/2 toes

[Fwoof]

I got three baby Silkies this week, a blue, a lavender, and a white! But I only just recently noticed something odd about the blue one. One of her feet doesn't have the fifth toe that silkies sport, and the fifth toe on the other foot is only half the size of her hatchmates' fifth toes!

Does this mean she has bad genetics? Or did she just come out a bit funny? She looks and acts very healthy, so it's not much of a concern at all to me, but just thought I'd ask.

 

[Rose_adamaj]

I don’t know about Silkies, but I’m interested to hear what is said.
Do you have pictures?

 

[Egg Snatcher]

polydactylism causes the extra toes. It doesn’t mean she has bad genes. One of her parents most likely had 4 toes on each foot or 4 on one foot and 5 toes on the other. I wouldn’t use her to breed if you are wanting to breed good quality silkies but she’d be fine or breeding pet quality chicks. polydactylism can also cause more than 5 toes to appear on each foot. I had a Silkie mix chick with 7 toes on one foot and 6 toes on the other, sometimes that just happens.

 

[Fwoof]

polydactylism causes the extra toes. It doesn’t mean she has bad genes. One of her parents most likely had 4 toes on each foot or 4 on one foot and 5 toes on the other. I wouldn’t use her to breed if you are wanting to breed good quality silkies but she’d be fine or breeding pet quality chicks. polydactylism can also cause more than 5 toes to appear on each foot. I had a Silkie mix chick with 7 toes on one foot and 6 toes on the other, sometimes that just happens.

That's good to know!
And I don't care if my silkies are "low quality", the whole reason I got silkies is for brooding chicks. (and the calm temperment and fluffy feathers just sealed the deal!)
Thank you for the info!

 

[Egg Snatcher]

That's good to know!
And I don't care if my silkies are "low quality", the whole reason I got silkies is for brooding chicks. (and the calm temperment and fluffy feathers just sealed the deal!)
Thank you for the info!

No problem, glade to help!

 

[Debbie292d]

I got three baby Silkies this week, a blue, a lavender, and a white! But I only just recently noticed something odd about the blue one. One of her feet doesn't have the fifth toe that silkies sport, and the fifth toe on the other foot is only half the size of her hatchmates' fifth toes!

Does this mean she has bad genetics? Or did she just come out a bit funny? She looks and acts very healthy, so it's not much of a concern at all to me, but just thought I'd ask.

Some of my less fancy ones get a fifth toe that barely can hold it's toenail.

 

[Fwoof]

I think I have another idea on why she has eight 1/2 toes!

The breeder I got them from also breeds Silkie/Ameraucanas, and they look very different from my only pure Silkie! The feathers on two of my babies aren't frizzy like a Silkie's except for on their heads, and they have exceptionally large beards. I think that maybe her Ameraucana genes made her feet like that, as well.