White legs suddenly streaked with pink?!

[MgnRose]

Hello, all. I have searched far and wide across the vast internet & have yet to find an explanation of why my BO with white legs would suddenly have steaks of pink running down her legs.

Her name is Dorothy and until recently, she’s been a very friendly chicken. The last few weeks she’s been a little grumpy, but I had chalked that up to molting. Yesterday I noticed her legs had small pink steaks running from her upper leg to her toes- today these streaks are wider. Any ideas? I have checked her for bumblefoot and she’s okay in that department. I am at a total loss. Is this normal? Besides being a little grumpy, her health check is perfect-bright red comb, clean vent, no mites, etc. Am I being a paranoid chicken mom?

 

[FuzzyCritters]

Can you post a pic of the streaks?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hello, all. I have searched far and wide across the vast internet & have yet to find an explanation of why my BO with white legs would suddenly have steaks of pink running down her legs.

Her name is Dorothy and until recently, she’s been a very friendly chicken. The last few weeks she’s been a little grumpy, but I had chalked that up to molting. Yesterday I noticed her legs had small pink steaks running from her upper leg to her toes- today these streaks are wider. Any ideas? I have checked her for bumblefoot and she’s okay in that department. I am at a total loss. Is this normal? Besides being a little grumpy, her health check is perfect-bright red comb, clean vent, no mites, etc. Am I being a paranoid chicken mom?

Sounds like hormones kicking in and changing.. to me. How old is she?

 

[Sally PB]

I have seen this on my 7 month old BO cockerel. I'm interested in this as well.

 

[FuzzyCritters]

I have seen this on my 7 month old BO cockerel. I'm interested in this as well.

With cockerels, it's because hormones cause blood to flow closer to outer layers of the skin. It means the cockerel has reached maturity.

 

[Sally PB]

Ah! Thank you, FuzzyCritters. Hopefully this means he will not go through another hormonal surge next spring...? He minds his manners pretty well with me and the pullets. I had to cull two of his flock mate cockerels because when puberty hit, they didn't.

 

[MgnRose]

Can you post a pic of the streaks?

Yes! I can take a picture tomorrow morning.

 

[MgnRose]

Sounds like hormones kicking in and changing.. to me. How old is she?

She’s exactly a year and a half, as of 3 days ago.

 

[MgnRose]

With cockerels, it's because hormones cause blood to flow closer to outer layers of the skin. It means the cockerel has reached maturity.

Funny you should say this, because we named her Dorothy after the Golden Girls character since they both are on the more masculine side I was convinced she was a rooster until she laid an egg.

 

[Perris]

my understanding also is that it is caused by increased blood flow in the vessels beneath the skin, which shows up on white legs more than on other coloured shanks. The cock in my avatar displays the same phenomenon now and then. If your bird is otherwise healthy, as it sounds she is, I would see it as just another indication of her good health!