Worried about my Silkie chicks feet

[TonsofBirdsAndaRedhead]

Today I got 6 beautiful Silkie chicks and they are all very healthy, I did notice though that they several of them had an extra toe on one foot. I do know that silkies have 5 toes normally but some have 6, they walk perfectly fine now, but I just dont want it to become a problem when they are older. Do you think it will be a problem? thanks in advance. The right foot is normal, and I dont know if you can see it, but the left foot has a little extra toe.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Well, I wouldn't buy from that supplier again... Nor would I breed from that bird. If it didn't come from a hatchery... I would be SURE and let the "breeder" know.

If the extra toe isn't folded over (under) at the bottom of the foot where it gets walked in... it should be fine long term. Those upper toes don't even touch the ground usually.

If I'm making it out right and it's just an extra offshoot high on the leg where those extra toes belong anyways... it will be fine.

 

[Silkie_Lover1]

I recently bought four silkie chicks and they will be 4 weeks on Wednesday, but a few days after I had got them i noticed one had six toes on each foot so i got on here and searched for a thread about it and there were multiple and each one said that it was completely normal for five toed breeds like silkies to have extra toes every once in while.

So i wouldn't worry about anything

 

[TonsofBirdsAndaRedhead]

Well, I wouldn't buy from that supplier again... Nor would I breed from that bird. If it didn't come from a hatchery... I would be SURE and let the "breeder" know.

If the extra toe isn't folded over (under) at the bottom of the foot where it gets walked in... it should be fine long term. Those upper toes don't even touch the ground usually.

If I'm making it out right and it's just an extra offshoot high on the leg where those extra toes belong anyways... it will be fine.

Thank you! I will let the breeder know.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

it was completely normal for five toed breeds like silkies to have extra toes every once in while.

Common, yes.

Normal, No.

People need to be conscious of what they are hatching. They should NOT be hatching from 4 or 6 toed Silkies... or they should NOT try to claim quality.

It is hard work to get and keep only good stock. Out of more than 100 chicks I hatched from parents with correct toes... Only 1 ended up short a toe.

If all the parent stock has correct toes and you are seeing a lot of incorrect at hatch... then one or both parents are throwing a hidden fault. Any breeder should be able to see the toes and disclose what you are getting instead of letting you discover it and wonder. Of course, I do realize things can get hectic and be easy to miss when you have a bunch of chicks.

The whole reason most people buy from a breeder is for better quality than you get at the hatchery... sadly it just isn't always true. I personally make the request for people who buy my birds to please let me know if they catch something I didn't, because I cannot fix or change what I don't know.

Most average people won't have the heart to keep the bad genetics out of the gene pool. It's up to responsible breeders to make sure the poor genetics don't make it out in the first place, IMHO. It IS a very HARD line to toe!

 

[Silkie_Lover1]

Common, yes.

Normal, No.

People need to be conscious of what they are hatching. They should NOT be hatching from 4 or 6 toed Silkies... or they should NOT try to claim quality.

It is hard work to get and keep only good stock. Out of more than 100 chicks I hatched from parents with correct toes... Only 1 ended up short a toe.

If all the parent stock has correct toes and you are seeing a lot of incorrect at hatch... then one or both parents are throwing a hidden fault. Any breeder should be able to see the toes and disclose what you are getting instead of letting you discover it and wonder. Of course, I do realize things can get hectic and be easy to miss when you have a bunch of chicks.

The whole reason most people buy from a breeder is for better quality than you get at the hatchery... sadly it just isn't always true. I personally make the request for people who buy my birds to please let me know if they catch something I didn't, because I cannot fix or change what I don't know.

Most average people won't have the heart to keep the bad genetics out of the gene pool. It's up to responsible breeders to make sure the poor genetics don't make it out in the first place, IMHO. It IS a very HARD line to toe!

Oh sorry, I had heard that it could happen if anything was off during the incubation process.

So should I contact the breeder I got them from?

 

[K8taylor]

I have a 1 week old wilkie who won't walk on her leg!

 

[Silkie_Lover1]

Is she limping or not getting up at all?