White Plymouth Rock white feet??

[kkormos]

So we have had multiple breeds of standard size hens for a year now but recently got more chicks from a fee store to expand our flock. We got 5 white Plymouth Rock chicks (our first time for this breed) and they are now about 5 weeks old. 4 have yellow feet and 1 has white/gray feet. It looks nothing like leg mites. They look like healthy feet, just lacking color. I'm wondering if this means it is male? Or a disease? The chick is eating and drinking and progressing normally. I just find it odd that the others of this breed have yellow feet and this one doesn't. Is there an albino version? Anything will help, I need to know if I should isolate the chick to prevent disease to the others. Thanks!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Hatchery stock, aka feed store stock isn't bred to the Standard so getting anomalies like this isn't unexpected.

I seriously doubt it is a disease. Just watch the chick grow out. If the bird never gets the yellow feet it is supposed to have then you can pretty much chalk it up to very suspect breeding. It it is healthy and performs as either meat or eggs for you, that's about all you can expect. Enjoy them.

 

[kkormos]

Thank you, yea my husband said it was probably bad breeding but my curiosity always gets me. we have 21 chicks right now so I didn't want them to start dropping like flies if this one had something that could spread.

 

[donrae]

I'm with Fred, hatchery birds get funky colors, combs and leg colors all the time. Too bad we can't custom order different leg colors, it would be a great way to tell one chick from another!