What is wrong with this chicken?

[irf1983]

My mom got this EE as a young chick. When it got old enough to integrate with her 3 other chickens, the dominant hen would peck at it until it was almost bald. The hens stopped pecking it over a month ago, but all it grows back is fluff. It's wings are pitiful and the feathers are withered looking. I don't know if all the pecking stunted it's growth or if this is a natural condition. It's healthy in all other ways. Its the biggest chicken by far now. Eats, drinks, scratches, everything else, normally. Any ideas?

 

[Wynette]

I think you've got an EE/Silkie cross. It almost looks like a cockerel with those thick legs....

 

[Cuban Longtails]

wow! a mutant silkie feathered chicken!

I'm not positive, but I think it's a cockerel.

 

[19sarah90]

There's definitely silkie in there, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was a roo. He/she's standing tall!

 

[miss_jayne]

i think it is NOT an EE cross. i think it is a Silkie X with a Leghorn. that is why the coloring of the skin. look at the pattern and the color of the skin would make sense as well as the comb.

ca-ra-zaaaay! that is also why it would be short and squat. white earlobes, definitely a cockerel, with the wattles and comb so pronounced and reddened.

 

[Wynette]

MJ, do Leghorns have willow colored legs like this boy does? I'm unfamiliar with Leghorns. EEs can have any type comb.

 

[irf1983]

Huh, I know the person we got it from also breeds silkies so it;s completely possible. I would have though a silkie/EE cross would be pretty. This thing looks like a run over turkey. Well I hope it's not a roo. It's about 4 months now.

 

[Wynette]

Well, that's the trouble with crossbreeding, you never know what you'll get. I have a really pretty silver-colored EE hen that I crossed to a gorgeous French Copper Black Marans roo. The pullet offspring are very pretty, the cockerels are REALLY UGLY. I mean SCARY ugly. You just never know what you'll get!

 

[shelleyb1969]

I think it's a Silkie/EE cross, too. And probably a cockerel. I may be wrong, but I would think that it's legs would be a little brighter yellow if it had leghorn in it

. Even though Silkies have black legs, the yellow should be a little more pronounced in this chick. Also, I think it's comb would be bigger

? The leghorns that I've raised have had very large combs at an early age. This is just my opinion...I'm in no way a chicken genetics expert

.

 

[Uppity Peon]

The poor thing does look a bit ragged!

I'm curious... does he have 4 toes or 5? I have a young rooster who I believe is a silky cross and he has extra toes.