Is there a name for this condition?

[danameisdana]

Hello, I bought this welsummer pullet at TSC. A few days later I noticed she was missing a toe and on that same side her feathers are not coming in correctly or at all in many places. The Right side is normally feathered. What would cause this condition? Is there a name for it? I'm in SD so I fear she is not going to make outside of the brooder box.

 

[Eggcessive]

Her left leg appears swollen at the hock. Does she have trouble walking? It looks some like a slipped tendon, but may be an injury. The toe may be a birth defect. Leg bone deformities are also common in one or both legs. Feathers can grow in very slowly over the back and wings, but usually by 6-7 weeks they are fully feathered. Does she lie down a lot on the side where the feathers are sparse?

 

[FunClucks]

This seems like more of a genetics question. @NatJ any ideas on this one, or other folks who you think may know or be interested to see this?

 

[LaFleche]

I would consider this a genetic defect.

 

[danameisdana]

Her left leg appears swollen at the hock. Does she have trouble walking? It looks some like a slipped tendon, but may be an injury. The toe may be a birth defect. Leg bone deformities are also common in one or both legs. Feathers can grow in very slowly over the back and wings, but usually by 6-7 weeks they are fully feathered. Does she lie down a lot on the side where the feathers are sparse?

It's not really swollen, the down is just so sparse on that side it appears swollen. No, she's not lame at all, hence the reason I didn't notice her toes at first. The feathers are coming in wrong on one side. They are either not there or just "twigs" with no barbs. It's very weird. She crouches down to sleep like a normal bird and does not seem painful. She is lagging in growth behind the other welsummer pullet I bought. Possibly it's because the other birds are starting to pick at her, or because she stays under the heat lamp more than the others instead of eating. I am concerned because this is all left sided and the left ovary is the one responsible for egg production. I wanted to know if there were other incidences of this so I would know if she's ever likely to lay...that is if she doesn't die of exposure or picking first.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

I don’t know anything about this but I really hope your chick makes it!

 

[danameisdana]

Same chick 5 days later (today).

 

[NatJ]

This seems like more of a genetics question. @NatJ any ideas on this one, or other folks who you think may know or be interested to see this?

I don't know of anything specific that would cause this.

But considering how the wing and the foot are affected, yes I would guess the chick might have something going on genetically.

I am concerned because this is all left sided and the left ovary is the one responsible for egg production. I wanted to know if there were other incidences of this so I would know if she's ever likely to lay...that is if she doesn't die of exposure or picking first.

I don't know the answer about laying, but I would be concerned about picking by flockmates or about her not having enough feathers to protect her from the weather.

As a practical matter, if she seems to have trouble at any point, I would consider euthanizing her or processing her to eat. (I don't think this would make the meat unsafe to eat, but if you see her as a pet you might not want to eat her.) But if she continues to be active and seems to move easily and eat well, I would keep her as long as she stays healthy and you want to keep her.

If she ever does lay eggs, I would not try to hatch chicks from her, in case the condition would be passed on to her chicks. But if she were to go broody, she could be allowed to hatch eggs that were laid by other hens. I don't see anything that look contagious here.

 

[danameisdana]

I don't know of anything specific that would cause this.

But considering how the wing and the foot are affected, yes I would guess the chick might have something going on genetically.


I don't know the answer about laying, but I would be concerned about picking by flockmates or about her not having enough feathers to protect her from the weather.

As a practical matter, if she seems to have trouble at any point, I would consider euthanizing her or processing her to eat. (I don't think this would make the meat unsafe to eat, but if you see her as a pet you might not want to eat her.) But if she continues to be active and seems to move easily and eat well, I would keep her as long as she stays healthy and you want to keep her.

If she ever does lay eggs, I would not try to hatch chicks from her, in case the condition would be passed on to her chicks. But if she were to go broody, she could be allowed to hatch eggs that were laid by other hens. I don't see anything that look contagious here.

Agreed on all points. She's definitely destined for the freezer if she makes it that far. I will humanely euthanize if it becomes a quality of life issue, but I'm hoping she will do ok through the summer so I can grow her up. Thank you for your input.