Jean,
Right you are. The Ameraucana standard originally called for slate or dark slate shanks on blacks, but someone decided that would be too difficult and wanted it changed to include black legs, so that\'s what happened. I always have an uneasy feeling whenever we change the original standard, and this situation confirms that we should be very, very careful. That said, unless a bird is being considered for best of show I doubt that one white toenail would make too much difference under normal circumstances to most judges. Another problem in the large fowl blacks that I have observed from time to time is the prevalence of dark brown eyes instead of the required bay eyes (reddish brown). Goes to show that, even in solid color birds there is always something to work on for improvement.