Feathering at different rates

jenww

In the Brooder
Mar 10, 2024
8
2
11
They hatched at the same time but one doesn’t seem to be feathering as fast as the other is smth wrong?
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What breeds are they and were they sexed? Some breeds of chickens feather out faster than others. (I have seen some even hatch with a few wing feathers.) On genders, I have often seen pullets feather out way faster than cockerels (sometimes this isn't the case). At this age, I wouldn't be too concerned about his feather growth.
 
Some chicks have fast feathering genetics and some have slow feathering genetics. So some chicks grow feathers very quickly and some take a bit longer. Some chickens get over the molt in a bit over a month, some can take four months, though mist are somewhere in between.

If you set the genetics up properly you can use this to sex chicks at hatch. By mating a dominant slow-feathering hen to a recessive fast-feathering rooster the boys will get a fast gene from Dad while Mom gives them a slow gene. These boys feather out slower because slow is dominant. The girls get a fast gene from Dad and nothing from Mom so they feather out faster. That's called feather sexing. But it only works when the genetics are set up properly. It probably means nothing in your case.

I don't see anything wrong with your chicks. They should be fine.
 

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