5 week old with barely any feathers

[hbwbk]

I have 2 Speckled Susex chicks they are supposed to be the same age 1 is fine very pretty plump the other is growing, eating, playing and loves
her treats she is not as big as the other. So I think she was a late bloomer. My problem I would like to put the girls out in 2 weeks or so. I live up state N.Y.
on top of a mountain still very chilly at night. Her feathers are coming in very thin almost twisted they are dark but with no speckles. Has any one heard of any thing like this before.
Do I dare put her out with the other girls she is with them now in the kindergarden brooder. she seems to be fine my worry is that it will be to cold for her. Thanks for of your help.
I really do love this site.

 

[chicmom]

Hello-

I wish you could post a pic! When you say the chick has darker, twisted feathers, that makes me thing of the frizzle genetics.....I have one polish chick that is frizzled. It sort of has curly feathers, and looks like it's kind of messy. Very cute though.

Maybe this chick isn't even a Speckled Sussex.....Is that possible?

I think you could probably put it outside if you had a light in the coop for night time. The general rule I follow is that they don't go outside into the coop until they are fully feathered.

Have a great day,
Sharon

 

[Domestic_goddess]

I would like so see pictures, sometimes roos feather out slower then the pullets....could that be possible?

 

[hbwbk]

I will post a picture when my son comes home from school today we are cleaning the kinder garden out then we can take a picture
I thought of a frizzle type to but I have never seen 1 up close or as baby. Thank you for your help. I will post pic around 3:30 pm eastern time.

 

[hbwbk]

sorry for being to late on pictures we finished the girls pen so they could go outside for the day they had a ball.
Hope these pictures help

 

[rhs7111]

I have a three week old Speckled Sussex who looks like yours. Your chick might be younger than you believe. I don't think any chick should be living outdoors until fully feathered, though, and since your chick isn't fully feathered, I suggest you keep him/her indoors. Mine, a hatchery sexed pullet chick by the way, is still in the brooder and under a heat lamp.

 

[hbwbk]

She is the same size as her sister or the other one I got. They where hatched April 10 I picked them up around the 16th they where sexed as pullets.
Let me say I won't put her out till she has all her feathers. I would like to know if there is a problem with her that I can help with. Or if this is just
a frizzle. I'm worried about her. She acts ok eating. drinking. pooping with no poopy but. She may be a runt but I would really like to find out. If it is something I can help her with.

 

[Mervin]

Quote:
In my experience, some birds are just slow to feather. Cockerels, in particular, may feather slower. Last spring, I had a six-week-old with similar feathering (no twisting though). The rest of the group was well-feathered and ready to go outside. He kept getting bigger and bigger, but not feathering up. I was hesitant to put him out, but I was running out of brooder space. So, I rigged a lamp for them and put them out. I watched him closely and he did fine. Within a week or so, I was only turning the lamp on after sun down. Within two to three weeks, his feathering had caught up and everything was fine. If you have heat on them, try backing it off a bit. At five weeks, I'd consider switching the heat off if the air temp is in the 70s. The cool down might stimulate feathering.

 

[hbwbk]

Thank you for all of your input I gave them some hard boiled eggs today. At least I know he/she is healthy and I'm doing the right thing. Thanks again.

 

[Domestic_goddess]

I never heard exactly how old they are? 2 weeks?...at this point, I'm totally guessing here , but I think you might have cockerel...they usually feather out slower. Cooler temps will encourage more feather growth. Feeding boiled or scrambled eggs is very good, try to add some protein in it's diet and I think it will do fine! Good luck!