Toenails on Baby Chicks

[chickenandsheepgal]

Hi, I'm kinda new here, but I do LOVE chickens so I think I will fit right in!

I recently ordered a batch of assorted Bantam chicks from McMurrary Hatchery to raise. The chicks are about 3 months old now. Yesterday I was going through the cages and doing their chores and I have discovered that one of my Polish Cockriels has an extra toenail growing on his middle toe! It's not a whole toe, just a nail and it sticks out of the right side of his toe. I am raising these chicks for our local middle schools' FFA chapter to show at our fair in November. I basiclly have 1 question, will that extra toenail disqualify that bird to show? Or will he might just be knocked down in the placings? We only have 2 of these little cut Polish guys left, and the kids really want to show them. Any Ideas? Thanks!

-Abby M. (chickenandsheepgal)

 

[purelypoultry]

I have never heard of or seen an extra toenail. Something like that would disqualify the bird as its an abnormality, but I don't quite think its an extra toe nail.

 

[acid_chipmunk]

A couple of my Polish have extra toenails, no big deal. I also have a Polish that is completely missing a toenail. The standard says the number to toes they must have, but nothing is said about the number of toenails. However, this does not mean that your judges won't take points off for it. Is there anyway that you can trim it off?

 

[MuranoFarms]

Can we get a picture? I've had several silkies (shipped eggs) hatch with extra toes, or 1/2 toes. Bad breeding I suppose. I usually cull. (I should clarify, by cull I mean: I remove them from my breeding group and sell as pet quality)