Yellow feet in the cold???

[bonita5kitten]

Hi,
I'm not sure if this would be the correct forum as its not an emergency so apologies if I've got this wrong..

So we've had some really cold weather here in England recently and a sprinkling of snow too. My three chucks seem happy enough apart from yesterday I noticed that one of them has yellow feet! They are Rhode Island reds so naturally their feet have a yellow tinge anyway... however Matilda had a definite strong yellow hue to her feet yesterday. Could this be anything to do with the cold weather we've been having??.. or can anyone suggest another reason this may be? She seems absolutely fine otherwise.. feeding, drinking, free ranging as per normal.. apart from looking like she's been wading through custard!

Many thanks

 

[kcsunshine]

Is she still laying? I've heard their legs get yellow after they stop laying.

 

[bonita5kitten]

Actually now you mention it she stopped laying about 3 months ago following egg peritonitis.. just about to google it and find out more. Many thanks for the suggestion

 

[kcsunshine]

According to "Stories Guide to Raising Chickens" the hens use their skin pigment to color the yolks of her eggs. After 6 months of intense laying a yellow-skinned hen will be completely bleached. When she stops laying, color returns to her skin in reverse order to which it left, hock first, front of shank next ,etc. til it gets to vent last. Hope this helps.

 

[bonita5kitten]

My goodness, I hadnt realised that.. so interesting. So do you know if this is something that only happens when she is done laying forever more or is it just during the colder months when they slow down / stop laying?

 

[kcsunshine]

I don't know. The book doesn't explain that. I hoped some of you knew.

After re-reading that section it does say after 6 mths of intense laying, a high productin yellow-skinned hen will be completely bleached. When she stops the color returns to her approximately twice as fast as it disappeared. THe color leaves in a certain order and returns in reverse order. Sequence for losing color is Vent, Eye Ring, Ear Lobe, beak, Bottom of feet, front of shank, then hock. If hock is bleached hen has laid from 120-140 eggs. It stands to reason if a breed averages between 250 - 280 eggs/year, they would start laying again. I'd say this color change would be in play during heavy molts, winter (short daylight) times, broodiness, and/or illness.
Hope this helps.

 

[bonita5kitten]

I might get myself that book as it sounds very interesting. Thank you so much for looking this up for me and I now feel reassured that there is nothing to worry about and its just nature running its course.
I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and New Year.
Many thanks
Lauren

 

[jeslewmazer]

Yeah I would give her some time up to 6months to see if she is really stopped laying. I am real interested because my hens tend to change color in their legs due to age.