What happend to my Silver Laced???

[WindyOaksYokes]

I am hoping that there are others out there with Silver Laced Polish chickens. I am currious to know what happened to HIS toes. I am also currious about his color. The other 5 that I have are not as white, more black to them. Does anyone else out there have a mainly all white one??? Even other pictures that I look at on the web do not show this much of the "silver/white". Hmmm... anyone?

 

[Alleyoops25]

Wow I sure dont know what happend to them. Did they get caught in some thing and in trying to get free break them? Or did some one accidentally shut in a door? As for the color It is pretty the way it is. And he is just his own color. If you got him from a hatchery then he may be taking on the color of a different set off parents.

 

[silkiechicken]

He has crooked toes but I don't know why he would develop them. Anatomically it's probably some shortening of the tendons or something. It's something that I usually see in little chicks that you tape carboard cutouts to and straighten them. Good luck finding your answer and sorry I couldn't help.

 

[rufus]

The chicken's foot is designed to perch on a round roost about two and a half inches to three inches in diameter. I would say this fellow has been roosting on a piece of square cut wood, something like one by two or maybe a two by four.

Plane the square corners off of the roost stick or replace them with tree branches or dowls of the correct size.

Rufus

 

[silkiechicken]

My birds have always perched on square posts, either 2x4's or boards. I have yet to develop a problem with my birds like that and I've had alot of birds over the years. In colder climate areas, I usually recommend that the birds sit flat on wood because else their toes can freeze. I guess a 3 in diameter roost is sufficently large though to be fine for most chicken feet. I would lean more towards genetics in this case rather than square boards.

How long has it been this way?

 

[Bubba]

Regardless of his toes that is one awesome looking bird. I think you should breed it and see if the offspring breed out right. I know id take a few eggs off your hands if hes the papa! ;=-)

Bubba

 

[speckledhen]

His toes are not from perching on flat surfaces. Chickens don't grip with their rear toe like wild birds, so too round is actually not that great a perch. I hatched out one Speckled Sussex with one middle toe bent that way. Did you not notice it when he was smaller? I bet it's been that way and it getting worse as he gets older. Could be genetic. Can't say on the color-he's just probably not got the best lacing.

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

Thanks for all the replies. To answer a few of the questions that you all tossed out at me. I did get my chickens from a hatchery. Didnt notice the toes until he was about 3 weeks and didnt know what to do with them. I suspect they were that way since hatching, but how it exscaped me is a mystery since I was and still am a huge mother hen myself. Not to mention didnt know this site excisted until recently. What is this about taping the toes???

As for the flat boards comment I dont have any flat boards except for the ones that were used to build the coop. All of the perches are trees limbs from the yard.

I love the color too... but I didnt know if it was a ooppss in the gentics. The only bad thing is, I got this type for my daughter to show at the fair, and when I was wathcing this guy get his color, I didn't know if he would be good to show since he is different, and now with the toes, I dont think he is show material. BUT, he does have a home for a long long time. As for breeding him... more than likely! just because of the color. And yes, Bubba we will keep some eggs back for you!

Thanks for all the replies. I just didnt know if others had seen toes like this.

Tes

 

[speckledhen]

I'm fairly sure he hatched that way. Two or three of the Sussex I hatched has odd toes and I know it wasn't the incubation because I hatched five breeds in that same batch. I do believe it's a genetic thing-it's exactly like that Sussex boy I had, but he only had it on one toe.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Sometimes chicks or young birds develop crooked toes because of diet deficiencies. Giving them a supplement has straightened out some birds' toes. I don't know if this is the case with your bird. Some cases probably are due to accidents or genetics, but in a bird that started with normal toes, I'd generally try a supplement, first.

Commercial feed is supposed to be all a bird needs, but it's designed as cheaply as possible, some vitamins are lost during storage and some birds just need a little more of something.