Silky Roo with only 4 toes!

[bantymum]

Hi all, My young RED roo has only got 4 toes. He is very pretty with dark points and nice powder puff on his head.
Do you think his offspring will pick this defect up or should I rehome him? he hasnt started mating properly yet.

I know I should be perfecting my flock but he is the only one of this colour. The other boys are blue, white and buff.
I guess i just need to know what the chances might be that his offspring will have 4 toes too!

 

[lyndatu]

Hehe, special silkie!

This might be caused by deforming while developing inside the egg, or maybe he just had his toe cut off(ouch). Not sure, but I think he will do well.

The offspring isn't likely inherit this defect, but it's possible for them to get it. You're lucky to have such a unique silkie!
Good luck!

 

[BamaChicken]

If your trying to improve the quality of your flock i would say don't use him as a breeder. If your are just raising pet quality it doesn't really matter then.

 

[bantymum]

Yes, this is the problem.
I want the best possible traits, though i dont intend to show, well i dont thinks so! however other breeders want to buy my silkies as they are such quality birds with unique colour markings. Im getting splashes , blues and buffs and reds.
The common colours in my area are white and black, so when people see mine they get really excited by the colours.
This is the only red roo. The only other roo I have coming along is a beautiful white fellow with really long tail feathers already. His brother the red has still got short tail.
The feathering is exceptional. Ill get a pic on here tommorrow so you can have a look.
The 4 toes could be a good example for my silky page which I havent started yet!!

 

[BamaChicken]

I would like to see a picture. He wont throw all four toes but it will be a recessive trait. You will just have to decide. Try it and see what happens. Sometimes you will get an off number of toes from the best quality of birds. I know I have one now with six toes on one foot. It is a splash. I am giving her to a friend. The only one I have had to hatch that way.

 

[bantymum]

Hi Bama, yes i will take his pic in the morning!!
Thanks for the hints. His Dad won at a royal show here and im not sure about his mum, he has great genes except for those toes!!

 

[jimnjay]

I am including informtion I saved regarding 4 and 5 toes. If you are after a color and that is the only rooster you have, you can breed him but keep track of the offspring so you don't continue the trait. If you breed him back to any chicks he produced, even if they have 5 toes, you are likely to get more 4 toed birds. You will eventually need some new blood in order to eleminate the trait. If you keep one of his 5 toed male offspring and eleminate him from the breeding pool you can get some desirable chicks. To improve your flock in this case good record keeping and banding will be required.

By Tim Adkerson
These are the probabilities from possible crosses.

four toes silkie X five toes silkie( has two five toes genes or homozygous)= 100 % five toes offspring ( heterozygous or carry a recessive and dominant gene)

If you get any four toes offspring that means the parent is split ( heterozygous) for five toes; or in other words the parent has a dominant and recessive gene.

five toes offspring X five toes offspring = 25% homozygous five toes (two five toes genes), 50% heterozygous (split), and 25% four toes ( two recessive 4 toes genes)

The chicks that are split (heterozygous) can produce four toes offspring.

five toes offspring (heterozygous) X homozygous five toes parent = 50% homozygous and 50% heterozygous five toes offspring

If you keep track of which birds you mate and the number of toes the offspring have you can determine if your five toed birds are homozygous or heterozygous.

If you mate two five toed birds and some of the offspring are four toed, then both parents are heterozygous or both parents carry a recessive gene. MARK THE BIRDS AS HETEROZYGOUS.

You can also test mate your birds. Cross a five toes bird with a four toes bird: IF NO FOUR TOES SHOW UP THEN THE FIVE TOES IS HOMOZYGOUS FOR FIVE TOES. You will have to hatch more than a few eggs.

 

[seminolewind]

Speaking of silkie toes, aren't their feet HUGE when they are born?

 

[bantymum]

Hi all, sorry havent been able to post a pic, need to credit my phone first!!
Thankyou so much Jimnay:
Im going to print that off for my silky file!
Fantastic info. Ive got some unrelated silkies that he can mate with.
At present he is only a few months old but is starting to try and jump on the girls!
I will do all I can to prevent 4 toed offspring.
He is the only red in the flock, so Id really like to keep him to try for partridge colours.
Also have buffs here which are really nice birds.
Ill get these pics in order and get them on.\\
Thanks