Spurs already?!

[Chookin gooood]

I have 7, 5 week old (British) araucana chicks. I notices today that 2 already have a long spur-like toe on the back. I managed to get a picture or two, as it was quite confrontational!




i dont know if you can see or not....As it is my first propper batch of chicks, when they are meant to grow spurs and how unnormal it is and if it is actually a spur!
Thanks!

 

[sourland]

Somewhat difficult to tell from the pictures, but it appears as if the chick has an extra back toe - five toes are common to certain breeds. Is it possible that your chick might be a crossbred?

 

[Chookin gooood]

Ok. No, it came out of a blue egg. Its father only has a spur bump, no spur as such.

 

[sourland]

I enlarged the picture, and it is indeed an 'extra' toe - not a spur. Perhaps a genetic mutation, but it is a bird that I would not use for breeding unless I wanted to perpetuate this trait.

 

[Tricoglossus]

I enlarged the picture, and it is indeed an 'extra' toe - not a spur. Perhaps a genetic mutation, but it is a bird that I would not use for breeding unless I wanted to perpetuate this trait.

Agreed. Araucanas should have 4 toes, not 5. Do you have photos of the parents?

 

[Chookin gooood]

oh well, im rather glad it was the ones without ear muffs, so i wasnt as interested with perfection! I can get photos of parents. Thanks!