Horn or Spike at the top of chickens comb?

MommaBee

Chirping
7 Years
May 25, 2012
473
9
93
Texas
I have never seen this before! I googled it and could find nothing on it. It looks very odd to me. Please tell me what it is and why it is there!


Here is a side view of the bird--- looks like a cockeral from the side. It is a black orpington/Ameracuana mix.



Here is the spike.. at the top of the pea comb.


Another view of it! It sticks up and is pointy.


Your input is appreciated!
 
No worries about it being abnormal as it is the "spike" portion of this bird's rosecomb (the type of comb it will have. The only abnormality is it appears to be inverted (sunken in) at this point. Sometimes gently coaxing the little spike out works, but it's not advisable. This is hereditary therefore, this bird should not be part of any breeding program if this inverted comb doesn't correct itself. The final comb will be the type seen on Sebrights or Rosecomb chickens if your curious. Both males and females have the spike along with the rose cushion of the comb.

You don't have a unicorn! No need to call the press. ;)
 
orpington x ameraucana will sometimes produce a modified pea comb, in this case it's just inverted at the top like High Roost Ranch wrote. it's not a rose comb though
 
It looks like rose comb to me, maybe walnut(pea + rose).

How sure are you the parents were Orp(single comb) and Amer(pea)? It's true this is supposed to give modified aka 'funky' pea combs but this chick comb is plainly not just a pea comb.

If there are rose comb birds in the flock I'd say to guess it's one of the parents.
 
Interesting!! No it could be a BLRW. They were under BLRW Roo and a Black Orpington Roo. The eggs were all from Wyandotte and Americuana hens. They all hatched out pretty dark so we assumed the Black Orpington was the dad.

Good to know we don't have a unicorn chick! Although that might have been more profitable, haha
 
Looks like a boy though, right? We will not be using it for breeding unless its a blue egg laying girl for our olive egger project. Think even if it is a girl we should steer clear?
 
Yeah looks cockerel-ish.

Breeding is up to you. It's considered a fault in showing but since it's not for the show bench and if it doesn't bother you then go ahead. Just be aware it's genetic and it will show up in percentage of the offspring mainly on rose combed ones but can show on pea comb(sometimes called telescope comb if on a pea comb). It's usually not visible at all on single combs.
 
400

We have a unicorn, too! :)
 

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