Strange toe/claw & feathered legs on a Blue Rock?

[Goatmaamaa]

Hello! This is my second time raising chickens, and I’ve not seen this before! She has them on both feet. So my first question is, has anyone seen this, or have an idea what it is? Second question is, I picked her out of a bin at Family farm & hime labeled Blue Rock, and to my knowledge, these birds do not have feathered legs. Any ideas what she might be?

 

[sybonbon]

I think silkies have 5 toes and feathered legs. Maybe she/he is mixed.

 

[Yardmom]

Silkies have an extra back toe. What type of comb does it have? If I'm remembering correctly blue rocks are not a variety of Plymouth Rocks, but are a hybrid made using PR. I'm not sure what they are mixed with (or if it is always the same). When I see feathered legs on a standard hard feathered bird I usually think of Marans.

 

[sybonbon]

Silkies have an extra back toe. What type of comb does it have? If I'm remembering correctly blue rocks are not a variety of Plymouth Rocks, but are a hybrid made using PR. I'm not sure what they are mixed with (or if it is always the same). When I see feathered legs on a standard hard feathered bird I usually think of Marans.

I thought Marans also but I have Marans and they have feathered legs not the soft fluff like this chicken. It's feathers look soft like a Silkie.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

So my first question is, has anyone seen this, or have an idea what it is?

That weird claw on the outer toe is not the same thing as a fifth toe.. being in the wrong side of the leg and all.. it's a deformity. Some chicks have been seen with entire third legs growing out of their back end, whole other beaks, etc. I have never personally encountered it, but things are more likely to happen on large scale like hatcheries.. and maybe not so easily caught on day old chicks before sending them out.

Second question is, I picked her out of a bin at Family farm & hime labeled Blue Rock, and to my knowledge, these birds do not have feathered legs. Any ideas what she might be?

Could be some other hybrid (or hatchery quality Marans/ Marans hybrid like oddly named blue cuckoo being seen recently).. it is blue (feather colored) and straight combed.. with white skin (looks like to me).. Cochin are heavier feathered legs and I'm not sure about skin color.

I thought Marans also but I have Marans and they have feathered legs not the soft fluff like this chicken. It's feathers look soft like a Silkie.

That's a hard (satin) feathered bird regarding the Silkie'ness. The feathers have barbicels holding their ends together. All under fluff is silkie like down regardless of breed. Also over preened, or damaged feathers can have that appearance. The fraying seen on this bird is on par with wear and tear, best I can tell.

Technically speaking hard verse soft feathered is referencing to the flexibility/stiffness of the feather shaft itself. Leghorn are hard and Orpington are soft for example.. according to my understanding. No rudeness or disagreement is meant, only sharing.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

How odd. As long as she isn’t having an abnormal gait then chalk it up to a very unique chicken (but don’t hatch eggs from her)

 

[Goatmaamaa]

Silkies have an extra back toe. What type of comb does it have? If I'm remembering correctly blue rocks are not a variety of Plymouth Rocks, but are a hybrid made using PR. I'm not sure what they are mixed with (or if it is always the same). When I see feathered legs on a standard hard feathered bird I usually think of Marans.

This is more like an extra claw protruding from the top portion of the toes, so strange. I had not heard of Marans, but I just googled the breed and they do have lightly feathered legs, which I would say is accurate, it’s light feathering, unlike my Brahma who’s legs and toes are fully feathered! So maybe she was mis-picked at the hatchery and placed in the wrong bin. She’s a sweet girl so I’m happy either way.

 

[Goatmaamaa]

How odd. As long as she isn’t having an abnormal gait then chalk it up to a very unique chicken (but don’t hatch eggs from her)

Right! She’s perfectly normal other than that strange claw like protrusion.