Hen with spurs?

[Drk_Wlf]

I use to have a couple roosters in with my layers, but we became concerned with the town finding out we had chickens (because they are not "technically" allowed) so our roos became dinner. Since then our one remaining hybrid layer (a golden comet, the rest are australorp or australorp mixes) has grown spurs. We should have turned her into soup last year for she is beyond her prime and has never been a good layer (always going broody) but she is the one hybrid that was smart enough not to escape the yard and be eaten by foxes so I figured she earned her place in the flock by being a natural survivor. She is also the most forward of the hens and she was the biggest of the hybrids (she is the same size as the aussies). Has anyone else had a hen grown spurs? I know it's normal for a hen to take up the position of head of the flock if you remove the roos but I didn't think they grew spurs.

 

[donrae]

Lots of hens grow spurs as they get older. It doesn't matter if there's a roo or not, she would have grown them. Some hens have wicked spurs!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

This is Sterling, a silver Phoenix mix. Its not the best picture, but if you look closely you can see one of her spurs. They're pretty big, and VERY sharp. She's always had spurs (and had a twin sister who only had one spur). I've got 3 roosters, and none of them ever mate her. Because if they do, she'll use those spurs, and she's a low down dirty fighter. I just love her!