Silkie Chicks Missing Toes

[HobboFarms]

Ive been raising chickens for roughly 3 years and have hatched over 100, but Ive come across an odd few chicks as of late. While hatching silkie chicks, about 3/4 are born missing one of their front 3 toes on each foot. They dont seem to be in pain, but they do have obvious walking impairments. Im guessing it could be genetics, but I was curious what someone else might think on the matter.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Okay first question are these from a breeder or a hatchery true silkie folks breed for 4 toes

 

[HobboFarms]

The parent birds of these chicks have 5 toes, they came from a neighbour

 

[CrazyCrttr75]

Silkies are supposed to have 5 toes. So are they some times being born with only 4? I've heard of that happening sometimes. It could just be a genetic thing with one of your girls. If you were trying to avoid that, I would try to pinpoint which one it was coming from and just not breed that one. But it depends on what your breeding intentions are (for personal fun, for showing, for selling, etc). If you only have 1 hen, you could always get another to introduce new/fresh genetics to your stock to see if that helps (could pinpoint if it is coming from mom or dad). I'm not an expert but I think that is what I personally would do.

 

[pennyJo1960]

But there are many 3 toed breeds possibly in the neighbors or a fluke

 

[Egg Snatcher]

Ive been raising chickens for roughly 3 years and have hatched over 100, but Ive come across an odd few chicks as of late. While hatching silkie chicks, about 3/4 are born missing one of their front 3 toes on each foot. They dont seem to be in pain, but they do have obvious walking impairments. Im guessing it could be genetics, but I was curious what someone else might think on the matter.

If the chick is missing toes it just mean they haves bad genetics. They would not be good for breeding. If you sell them you can have them for laying or keep them. Mine have this too. I've did some research when I had the first one, and that is what I found out.

 

[CrazyCrttr75]

But there are many 3 toed breeds possibly in the neighbors or a fluke

Not for pure bred Silkies. Silkies are one of the breeds that have 5 toes. There are a few out there do as well but most chickens have 4.

 

[Chickassan]

This has been a bad year for defects no matter the breed so the blame might be environmental as well.

 

[Fur-N-Fowl]

It’s just the genetics, the genes that are at work for 5 toes are not straight forward and you can end up with 3 toes or anywhere up to 8 toes on each foot I’ve seen on someone else’s birds! As well as extra toenails and half toes.

If you are breeding them as pets only and aren’t fussed, I wouldn’t worry. However, if you are selling them more seriously or they are having difficulty walking I’d look at not breeding from those specific birds as it usually shows up in future offspring too.

 

[Egg Snatcher]

Not for pure bred Silkies. Silkies are one of the breeds that have 5 toes. There are a few out there do as well but most chickens have 4.
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I have pure silkies and two have of than ha e this dab gens.