My Hen has Tiny Toenails!!

[Peppercorngal]

I bought 4 Delaware hens already grown from a man who was selling his place a few months ago. I noticed that one has tiny little toe nails on the middle toe of each foot. I guess it's a genetic anomaly? Will she pass this trait on to her chicks??

 

[ChickenLeg]

If its genetic then yes she could. If its environmental or due to something wrong while developing in the egg then no it wont pass it on.

 

[Peppercorngal]

If its genetic then yes she could. If its environmental or due to something wrong while developing in the egg then no it wont pass it on.

Have you ever seen such a thing before? I haven't and it's WEIRD!! At first I thought she had NO nails on those middle toes! it doesn't seem to bother her at all.

 

[Scorpy89]

Not sure if this is related, but my mother smashed her finger in a car door right where the cuticle is and the nail fell off only to regrow into a rice grain mass where the cuticle is. it kinda looks like that. seeing how those are the front two toes it is possible that it was an injury.

 

[Amer]

I bought 4 Delaware hens already grown from a man who was selling his place a few months ago. I noticed that one has tiny little toe nails on the middle toe of each foot. I guess it's a genetic anomaly? Will she pass this trait on to her chicks??

View attachment 1571226 View attachment 1571227

They probably just broke off. It happens.

 

[ChickenLeg]

Have you ever seen such a thing before? I haven't and it's WEIRD!! At first I thought she had NO nails on those middle toes! it doesn't seem to bother her at all.

I can't recall for sure but I do vaguely remember a chicken of mine missing a toenail or having one that was broke off far back. But your pic is definitely interesting. 0.o

 

[TheAfroTho]

It might have just broken off. I’ve seen that before and the chicken was fine. She just squawked and did the usual.