So what gender is this weird toed chicken?

[criker99]

We hatched this chicken with about 24 others in our incubator. Just noticed this one has really weird feet (in addition to uncertainty of gender). It hatched on 09/22/09, so is now 5 1/2 months old so I guess we should be hearing crowing if we're going to, but it's hatch mate is just beginning to crow. Any ideas on the foot issue?

Hen is easter egger and roo is barred rock (edited when my daughter corrected me):

Weird feet (both are involved):

 

[jeslewmazer]

It's a roo, and it looks like the toenails got broke (pulled, etc.) off. It looks like he has scare tissue in the tips or it might just be the close up. Where did he get the muffs(beard)?

 

[criker99]

I wonder ... wow the feet are just weird. Didn't notice them until today (but hadn't looked that closely either). Doesn't appear to bother it at all. Roo because of the tail feathers, right? Likelihood of toe problem from injury or birth defect?

 

[jeslewmazer]

tail and hackle feathers....can't see his hackle feathers....they should start showing more soon. the feet could be birth defect but look more like a injury...but it could be either. they are healed and should not cause any pain.

 

[Bring]

I have a cochin roo who's toes look like that. They've actually gotten worse this winter. I don't know what's happening to him. He's the only roo in the pen with 6 hens. He limps now too. When I pick him up to investigate there are no open wounds. Weird.

 

[jeslewmazer]

Quote:
that is weird. Maybe the cold weather is causing the pain kinda like arthritis?!?!
I have had my fair share of chickens getting toenails off in many different ways and they all seemed to live regular lives. Right now I have a roo that only has one wing because a dog jumped on his pin and ripped it off. He acts fine now too.

 

[Bring]

Quote:
that is weird. Maybe the cold weather is causing the pain kinda like arthritis?!?!
I have had my fair share of chickens getting toenails off in many different ways and they all seemed to live regular lives. Right now I have a roo that only has one wing because a dog jumped on his pin and ripped it off. He acts fine now too.

my poor roo has black on his comb too, hasn't fallen off yet though. Next winter I will definatly look into insulating the coop!

 

[Bring]

P.S.

Will the nails grow back??

 

[geebs]

probably not on the nail grow back question... Its a roo. Check for rats... they bite toes off. Really.. Oil of Peppermint will scare them off... the real oil.... it is cheap and smells good...

 

[criker99]

Wow I'd be surprised if it was an injury and we didn't notice. He's in with about 22 or so other chickens (one mature roo, he and his hatchmate cocks and the rest are hens). In the headshot picture you can kind of see the hen house, it's a pretty secure building and why would he be the only one with the problem? We didn't feel any heat or anything to indicate infection in his feet, but those toes that are affected are definitely larger than those that have nails. I might be able to understand if he had just a callous on the end, but that whole toe shaft is larger. He doesn't have a limp or any other sign. We haven't noticed a rat problem and like I said the coop and house seem fairly secure...