silkie with extra leg feathers?

[mariathesilkie]

Hi, just looking for thoughts on one of my silkie chicks. This little guy is two weeks old. He is one of seven silkie chicks that two of our hens have hatched over the last six weeks. I was looking at him and noticed he has extra feathers on his legs - he has the normal silkie feathering of his legs and toes, but he also seems to have these extra wing-like feathers coming from his knees. None of the other chicks have these and, although prior to this it's been a while since we have hatched silkie chicks, I can't recall any others that i've ever had having these either. This feathering might be completely normal, but I was just wondering if this is a common silkie trait. They really are like another set of wings on his legs. My photo isn't great, and it doesn't really show quite how long the feathers are, but hopefully it gives a bit of an idea. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[mstricer]

Hi, just looking for thoughts on one of my silkie chicks. This little guy is two weeks old. He is one of seven silkie chicks that two of our hens have hatched over the last six weeks. I was looking at him and noticed he has extra feathers on his legs - he has the normal silkie feathering of his legs and toes, but he also seems to have these extra wing-like feathers coming from his knees. None of the other chicks have these and, although prior to this it's been a while since we have hatched silkie chicks, I can't recall any others that i've ever had having these either. This feathering might be completely normal, but I was just wondering if this is a common silkie trait. They really are like another set of wings on his legs. My photo isn't great, and it doesn't really show quite how long the feathers are, but hopefully it gives a bit of an idea. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Those are vulture hocks and is a DQ on a silkie.

Still cute though

 

[hdowden]

every last one of my feathered legged breeds had those feathers develop first for some reason and i always thought they had vultur hocks but they don't just give it time to grow out

 

[hdowden]

my cochins looked like they had them but they don't

the black feathers sticking out in the back at the top of the pic

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

They are definitely vulture hocks. Also, the wing feathers coming in don't appear to be silkied. I would suspect the chick to be a cross rather than pure silkie. Vulture hocks are a DQ in most feather footed breeds; d'uccles, booted bantams and sultans are the exception.

 

[ParelliChick]

They are definitely vulture hocks. Also, the wing feathers coming in don't appear to be silkied. I would suspect the chick to be a cross rather than pure silkie. Vulture hocks are a DQ in most feather footed breeds; d'uccles, booted bantams and sultans are the exception.

I know this has almost nothing to do with the thread, but thanks for the info, that was a question I missed on a Showmanship Class!

 

[mariathesilkie]

Thanks for the infomation everyone - I am showing my lack of knowledge but I had never heard or (or seen) vulture hocks. My silkies are just pets and not shown at all, so it doesn't affect me if vulture hocks are a DQ, I just freaked a little when I noticed what looked like a second set of wings growing out of his legs!! I was worried I had some sort of mutant chicken but am pleased to know he is fine and will suffer no adverse effects. It will be interesting to see if they grow out or not. Anyway, thanks again.