2 chicks lagging behind..should I be worried?

[Ady Road Chicks]

I had 11 chicks hatch on July 3. I am concerned about 2 of them. 9 of the chicks are feathered out except for their heads. The other 2 only have feathers on their wings...no tail feathers, only fuzzy yellow or black baby fuzz everywhere except their wings. There has been nothing different for these 2. Everyone eats and drinks the same things, sleeps in the same place, and plays outside in the same pen. They are all the same size too. What gives? Should I be worried?

 

[chicmom]

Some chickens do feather out alot slower than others...I think it's a genetic thing. Nothing to worry about. I had one that was exactly like that....everybody else was nearly fully feathered, but he just had a fuzzy body with wing feathers.....he turned out to be a beautiful rooster.

No worries!

 

[gritsar]

If they are eating, drinking and pooping well, the only thing I would be worried about is having two roosters.

 

[heksa]

I have three in a bunch of 9 like that, but they are also much smaller then the rest. I am thinking they are roos. I heard roos are slower in development. I ended up seperating them at night so they don't get squished by the bigger birds and kind of watch them closer. I wonder if they really turn into roosters. My chicks are about a week older then yours.

 

[TcherDawn]

I have one out of 8 that way. Mine hatched June 28th. She is half the size and all fuzz except for wing feathers. And she is supposed to be a Cochin. She is eating and drinking, so I hope she will be ok. And I hope she will be a she.

 

[Ady Road Chicks]

At what age can you begin to tell the boys from the girls?

 

[TcherDawn]

For 100%, when they lay an egg or crow. But it is a great sport on here to guess gender. Almost as fun as football!