Amputation of polymelia in a layer chicken

Polymelia was rarely recorded in birds; therefore, this report records the clinical and radiographic findings in a case of polymelia in a 7-mo-old layer Fayoumi chicken and the outcome of its amputation. The hen had two pericloacal extra limbs located caudal to the normal ones in an inverted position. The extra limbs were immovable and loosely attached to the underlying tissues. The supernumerary limbs had normal skin with ill-developed feathers. The extra limbs were fused proximally and crossed distally. Plain radiographic examination showed unequal numbers of bones and digits in both extra limbs. The right extra limb had a femur and tarsometatarsus while the left extra one had femur, tibiotarsus, and tarsometatarsus bones. The extra limbs appeared smaller than the normal ones and had neither muscles nor tendons. Amputation of the extra limbs under local infiltration analgesia was easy, safe, and curative.