Chicken bald back

[Surfnirvana]

My lovely brown - Columbian Black tail - Bess seems to have developed a spur on one of her legs. Just wondering if this is normal. Has this happened to anyone else's hens? Would be very interested to hear your comments. Perhaps this happens in older hens?

[Surfnirvana]

Here's a couple of photos (hopefully!)

 

[keyhole kate]

MY Ginger nut ranger merryweather has impressive spurs on both legs I have had to trim them recently as they got so long she is top chook and behaves as a cockerel would keeping order etc but she still lays as a normal hen would. I don't think it's that uncommon

[jimnpaula]

Don't worry about it. A couple of my ginger ex commercial ladies have/had spurs about that size and the only problem I had was having to move their leg rings up so they didn't get jammed between spur and foot.

 

Spurs doesn't automatically mean they'll turn into "cockerels". That only happens if their ovary goes wrong, then you'll see other male characteristics develop like the thin, pointy neck and saddle feathers, bigger tail feathers, and of course crowing.

[Surfnirvana]

Thanks so much for your replies - that's certainly put my mind at rest.