No Toes?

[Rjaym73]

Today I went to pick up 4 birds from a friend of the family who had to get rid of them due to health problems. They are barred rocks, 3 pullets and 1 cockerel, I am guessing about 3 months old. One of the hens has no toes! I have seen injured feet with a missing toe or two but she has none at all. Where each toe should be there are only nubs, one half inch or less. She seems to get around fine from what I can tell, though I have only had her since 7 this evening. I don't believe it would be from an injury being as it is all of her toes. Has anyone else ever seen this? Is there some genetic problem that causes this?

 

[KellyHM]

Could have been from frostbite or from something pulling her toes through a wire bottom cage. You may have to make a wider roost for her since she won't be able to grip it.

 

[Rjaym73]

I had considered that, but they were not in a wire bottomed cage, they were in a pen on the ground, and I live in central Georgia, so I doubt they would have gotten frostbit.

 

[CMV]

A nasty injury when she was very young could have caused an injury to the toes resulting in them falling off and then healing clean. I had a bird attacked by one of her mates, who lost a toe. It just withered up and fell off. There was no sign that it had ever even been there after it healed. She looked like she had been born without it. She was also completely unfazed by the lack of toe, and got around as well as any other bird.

 

[Rjaym73]

That may be, I just figured if they were injured it would have left scar tissue. I didn't think of them healing back cleanly. Either way I don't think I would breed her, and if it was a genetic problem I don't think I would want to breed her brothers and sisters either. I will still keep her as she gets around fine, though I doubt she will be able roost very well.

 

[silkiechicken]

My guess was injury, or if wire bottomed cage, a rat or mouse could have eaten off the toes when they were younger. It does happen.

Chickens heal quickly and smoothly, so unlike us, their toes will likly and often heal up round and smooth.