Missing back toe

[Joeschooks]

I've always wondered why two of my hens have a missing back toe. Both are Cream Legbar crosses and both have a little stump on their right foot where the back toe should be. I bought them from a well known local poultry farm and he said "the missing toe is just in the breed". I'm not sure about that because why would you breed from stock with a known deformity? I think it's more likely an injury (perhaps they have been raised with older chicks who have pecked at them?). I would be interested to hear what everyone else thinks it could be.

 

[Chicken-lovebirdchihuahua]

Yeah I don't think that's what happens to the breed he was just trying to sell them I'm hatching some soon and they hatch in 19 days (hopefully) so we will see

 

[Chicken-lovebirdchihuahua]

Probably a bully or a hatch defect

 

[Joeschooks]

Probably a bully or a hatch defect

Yes thats what I think too. Good luck with your hatch. I'm planning to hatch some purebred cream legbar later in the year too.

 

[Chicken-lovebirdchihuahua]

Yes thats what I think too. Good luck with your hatch. I'm planning to hatch some purebred cream legbar later in the year too.

cool and thanks

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I've always wondered why two of my hens have a missing back toe. Both are Cream Legbar crosses and both have a little stump on their right foot where the back toe should be. I bought them from a well known local poultry farm and he said "the missing toe is just in the breed". I'm not sure about that because why would you breed from stock with a known deformity? I think it's more likely an injury (perhaps they have been raised with older chicks who have pecked at them?). I would be interested to hear what everyone else thinks it could be.

Can you post some photos?

 

[Joeschooks]

Can you post some photos?

Sure. I don’t have any but I’ll take a few pics in the morning

 

[Joeschooks]

Can you post some photos?

Hi Wyorp. Here’s some pics of my girls with the missing toe on their right foot. What do you reckon?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Both are Cream Legbar crosses and both have a little stump on their right foot where the back toe should be.

Hi Wyorp. Here’s some pics of my girls with the missing toe on their right foot. What do you reckon?
View attachment 1261632 View attachment 1261633 View attachment 1261634 View attachment 1261635

I'm not a genetics expert, but would say that since both have the same trait - a stump instead of a toe, that it's genetic. I would also think this would pass on to offspring, but you would have to ask on the genetics threads, those folks know much more than I do!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/exhibition-genetics-breeding-to-the-sop.16188/

 

[Joeschooks]

I'm not a genetics expert, but would say that since both have the same trait - a stump instead of a toe, that it's genetic. I would also think this would pass on to offspring, but you would have to ask on the genetics threads, those folks know much more than I do!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/exhibition-genetics-breeding-to-the-sop.16188/

Thanks for the info. Perhaps the breeder was being honest with me then... I should be more trusting lol! It seemed odd to me because they’re quite a big poultry farm that supply many of the smaller sellers with chicks so you’d think they’d introduce some better blood lines. That said it’s not an issue, they lay well.