HELP!! Baby chick hatched MISSING TOES??!?!

[hannahsocal]

What breed were the parents? My guess would be inbreeding issues. Often with the actual rare breeds (not the hatchery definition of rare) the gene pool is very limited making it hard to source non-related birds of the same breed. To combat this it's not uncommon for quite a bit of inbreeding to occur that in turn can lead to genetic defects.

Show-quality blue andalusians!

 

[hannahsocal]

I set 12 eggs. Eight hatched, one with the exposed spine, one with the comb deformity (his comb issue wasn't evident until he was mature), and six normal. White Faced Black Spanish. I won't keep this breed again where I'm at because I'm not set up for their needs, but they were fun to raise nonetheless.

I'm no stranger to random genetic flukes, I've had two early trimester miscarriages that were both attributed to random genetic anomalies. My husband and I are not related in any way. It just happens sometimes. It's more common than one might think.

Same numbers here! 8 hatched, set 12

 

[hannahsocal]

UPDATE 5 DAYS AFTER ASSISTED HATCH: Foot looks the same. Noticeable webbing and no toe or nail growth. Photos attached. Hoping the webbing will subside and toes will grow but we’ll see.

Update 1.5 months in:

Toes are still weirdly shaped and some have no nails. I was hoping the nails would grow in eventually but it looks like that won’t be the case unfortunately.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I had a polish chick arrive with a teeny little nail and 6 months later you wouldn't ever know.

Same here

 

[Jeri B]

Update 1.5 months in:

Toes are still weirdly shaped and some have no nails. I was hoping the nails would grow in eventually but it looks like that won’t be the case unfortunately.

Will you cull this chicken or how will you ensure her eggs are not included in your breeding program?

 

[hannahsocal]

Will you cull this chicken or how will you ensure her eggs are not included in your breeding program?

“She” is looking more and more like a HE, so I’m probably going to keep him in my all-rooster flock of pet roos I’ve grown too attached to to cull.

 

[Honey Meadows]

“She” is looking more and more like a HE, so I’m probably going to keep him in my all-rooster flock of pet roos I’ve grown too attached to to cull.

Pictures?!

 

[sergedest_66]

I had a polish chick arrive with a teeny little nail and 6 months later you wouldn't ever know.

 

[hannahsocal]

Hello everyone. Sad update to end this thread with. Unfortunately I found her/him dead this morning in the coop. Not sure what happened as I keep everything clean and test regularly for illness. Maybe she just was weak to begin with and didn’t make it, or maybe someone picked on her, or maybe she fell from a high place bc she couldn’t grab onto something very well with the short toes. Sad day over here but just thought I’d update y’all since there won’t be any adult pics of her to post. :’(

 

[Bumbles]

Oh no. I’m so sorry.