6 week old chick with few feathers... Normal?

[cabot]

here are some updated pics of my funny looking columbian wyandotte chick. It was bought as a pullet through my pet chicken. I have read that slow to feather may mean roo ? It's fine if that's the case , I'm just hoping it will grow some feathers because right now it is pretty odd! This chick is no smaller or thinner and is very active and appears healthy in all ways....

here are a few of his/her mates of the same hatch date

Will it be nekkid forever ?

 

[MotherJean]

You know, I was sort of wondering if slow to feather is a trait of the Wyandottes. I have a SLW that's going on 4 weeks and it's just now starting to put on wing feathers and a few tail feathers. For all intents and purposes, it's still a fuzzy butt. My Brahamas were feathered out sufficiently to go to the outdoor coop by 4 weeks.

 

[Finn's Mom]

Looks like my roo who had NO feathers for the longest time (until 8 weeks) and is now all neck, legs and big feet (and feathers) I also noticed when I picked him up at a young age his body was much warmner than the girls bodies. (even not under the heat lamp) Has anyone else noticed that?

 

[cherylcohen]

I have a barnevelder with same issues, but turns out she is a pullet.

 

[Kittymomma]

Quote:
I think you're on to something. I have some wyandotte and wyandotte X chicks (2 batches) that my hens hatched out and they seem much slower to feather then the EE, BR, and RIR chicks that are their hatch mates.

 

[MotherJean]

I'm not terribly concerned about it, but it puts me (and I assume, Cabot) in a tough spot. The brooder mates to these lone chicks will be ready to move out to the coop long before these chicks are. We can't leave them alone in the brooder, so what should we do? Leave at least one of the fully feathered pullets in the brooder until these slow pokes get their feathers? I suppose I could knit the little one a turtleneck sweater, but....

 

[Kittymomma]

It should be fine. Mine are being raised by broody hens and have been out in all sorts of weather. The mamma hens aren't spending much time with them anymore even at night and the bald looking ones just snuggle up to their more fully feathered siblings when they get chilled. It seems to be working out fine and nobody is showing any signs of distress. We're both out here in W. WA so I would think yours would be ok too.

 

[cabot]

Right now I have all of them brooding in their 4X8 coop with a heat lamp at night. It is just going to delay the move outside. Since the coop is on wheels, right now it's parked in the garage where there is electricity. He definitely has learned to snuggle up to the other chicks to keep warm and he/she never seems cold or distressed at all...

 

[Kittymomma]

LOVE that coop!

 

[gritsar]

Can you say cockle doodle do? Sure, I knew you could.

Don't worry. He'll someday grow up to be a very handsome fella.