Dark Spots on Otherwise Healthy Chicken's Legs

[Lady of McCamley]

Eggcessive - you might just be right about the leg coloring. I checked earlier pictures I have of her from a couple of weeks ago and the spots are in those pictures too, so they've been there a while. I also got word back from the breeder I bought her from and he said the same as you, just pigment, and that they're common on Barred Rocks. I just don't know why I didn't notice them before since I check them over thoroughly about once a week. I must be losing it in my old age. I also read some info from an old book I have that was written in the 1906 (The Plymouth Rocks, Barred, White, and Buff) about how pure yellow legs are desirable but that oftentimes spots occur, and how you should select against it if possible. Supposedly spots are a defect but way on down the ladder behind type and coloring. It also says that males with only a few spots on their legs will often produce females with many more spots, so you should only breed from males with no spots.

So anyway, in summary I'm concluding it's nothing to worry about and par for the course with Barred Rocks. I'm still going to apply castor oil just as a preventive measure, and maybe I'll do that with all of my SOP birds, but apparently it's common and harmless. The other conclusion I guess is to make sure we always check every part of our birds when doing a checkup, and keep detailed notes and maybe a good picture in case we find something we didn't notice before.

Good to know the mystery is solved. Pigment spots. I've never had any of those...yet...but now I know.
LofMc

 

[jwebs94]

Did this all workout with out any issues? I noticed these spots on some of my Speckled Sussex today.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Did this all workout with out any issues? I noticed these spots on some of my Speckled Sussex today.

Hi. Just saw this after searching for my BPR. I really do think it's pigmentation and normal. I checked old pics of my girl, and she's had them for months. They're just more pronounced now. Did your Sussex have them when she was a "teenager," or is it something new?

 

[ElizaChick]

Hello - can I ask for an update? Does your chicken still have spotted legs, or did the spots go away with caster oil?

 

[Hsb0234]

Has anyone ever had or seen a chicken with dark spots appearing on it's shanks/feet? I noticed them on one of my hens this afternoon. I inspected her closely as a result and found nothing unusual. I ran my finger over the spots because I was first thinking they might be scaley mites but they're no different than her normal leg scales. Some even look like they overlap scales so I'm sure it's not mites. We had a lot of rain recently and I was reading on one of the threads here that this sometimes occurs during wet weather but it didn't conclude what it was. Anyway if anyone has any ideas I'm all ears.

My barred rock hen has always had a big black spot on one of her legs and seems to be ok. It looks just like yours just bigger and one. I think it’s normal!