Will feathers continue growing if you cut them?

[cochins1088]

I have a buff laced polish pullet who keeps getting her head feathers wet. When they get wet, they freeze.

I'm thinking about giving her crest a hair cut, or rather, feather cut.

My question is, will her crest feathers continue growing? Or will they stop and re-grow with her next molt? I don't want her to look mangy all year long...

 

[Granny Hatchet]

they will keep growing. i have to cut my silkie about 4 times a yr. i have seen people put them in a rubber band. very cute too!

 

[cochins1088]

they will keep growing. i have to cut my silkie about 4 times a yr. i have seen people put them in a rubber band. very cute too!

hmmm... I didn't think about using a rubber band. I'll try that first. Thanks!

 

[aart]

I don't know much about Polish or Silkies head feathers.....
.......but I would think once a feather is cut, it's not going to 'keep growing' or regrow.
The feather will be replaced at the next molt, just like clipped wing feathers.

 

[bucky52]

my little hens but feathers were catching all her poo.and it look very nasty.so I trimmed them up.than for some reason all her but feathers were gone.she had abare but until she went into molt last month.now she has feathered out.and her but is completely covered.she was bare for over a year.

 

[cochins1088]

I don't know much about Polish or Silkies head feathers.....
.......but I would think once a feather is cut, it's not going to 'keep growing' or regrow.
The feather will be replaced at the next molt, just like clipped wing feathers.

Yikes... this was what I was worried about. I'm going to try tying her crest feathers with a rubber band in the morning.

If necessary, I will cut them. I'd rather have a choppy looking bird then a dead bird.

 

[cochins1088]

my little hens but feathers were catching all her poo.and it look very nasty.so I trimmed them up.than for some reason all her but feathers were gone.she had abare but until she went into molt last month.now she has feathered out.and her but is completely covered.she was bare for over a year.

That's strange... I wonder what caused her to lose them.

 

[bucky52]

I felt really bad,I thought maybe I should have not trimmed her but feathers.than we went into winter and still she had not grown her feathers back.There were times this summer it looked if she had started to grow some feathers and in a few days she was bare again.I thought she had mites.I gave her warm Epsom salts baths.dusted her and she loved taking dust bath.i rubbed nstock on her but and legs.and still no feathers.In October she went into a hard molt.when she started to grow her feathers I notice the pin feathers on her behind.now she is feathered and very pretty.I don't know what happened.I also read on this site that other chicken keepers had chickens with bare buts.

 

[bucky52]

I felt really bad,I thought maybe I should have not trimmed her but feathers.than we went into winter and still she had not grown her feathers back.There were times this summer it looked if she had started to grow some feathers and in a few days she was bare again.I thought she had mites.I gave her warm Epsom salts baths.dusted her and she loved taking dust bath.i rubbed nstock on her but and legs.and still no feathers.In October she went into a hard molt.when she started to grow her feathers I notice the pin feathers on her behind.now she is feathered and very pretty.I don't know what happened.I also read on this site that other chicken keepers had chickens with bare buts.

Sorry NU stock.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

i have cut my silkies top 4 times this year and it needs it again right now. if they dont come back what is mine doing? i was thinking of finding her a new home because it seems like every time i turn around she cant find the food dish