Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[Zanna]

Sorry, pic. loading not working right, trying the rest...... A Welsummer hatchmate for comparison. I have Wellie, BCM and Del chicks all the same age, same environment, same everything. Only feather issues in the Dels. Last pic. of one of the Mom's with a new batch. Even after being a Mom, her feathers still look pretty decent.

 

[pips&peeps]

Hey Walt, is that what they call Fray?

It's recessive, so could be why it is not showing up in the cock bird she is using.

 

[fowlman01]

Hey Walt, is that what they call Fray?

It's recessive, so could be why it is not showing up in the cock bird she is using.

This almost looks like a mechanical problem. In the last pic the hen is close to that mesh wire. I am always suspicious of mechanical problems when it is the tail. In the breeds I have raised, poor feather quality is usually in females and it is located on the back and cushion area before the tail. This time of year is not always a good time to assess feather quality, as the feathers on older birds are getting ready to molt.

Walt

 

[pips&peeps]

Zanna,

Can you get pictures of the wings too?

 

[Zanna]

I am sorry for hijacking this thread but I can not tell you how much I appreciate any and all input! I will look at the pics I have right now and see if I can crop a wing pic of one of the babies. The pics were taken today. The Mom hen in the pic. does not visibly have this feather problem, it is her offspring. As soon as the chicks real feathers come in they are looking bad. Also, the mesh seen in the pic by the hens tail is plastic and she has only been in that pen with the babies since she hatched them out 2 days ago.

 

[gootziecat]

Can anyone tell me why chicks at a few days old will have a space between the primary and secondary feathers, much like or looking like "split wings"? Within a week, they look normal, and under the secondaries. What is the reason for this or what causes this? I'm asking in this thread because it recently applied to some Ameraucana chicks hatched.
Thanks.

 

[Zanna]

OK, Mom when she was about 4 mos. old, next pic her pullet now 8 weeks old, wing area looks good just a little shredding in the tail (she is one with the better feathers)(the last pic is of her wing), next pics are of one of the little cockerals with really shredded looking tail feathers, also somewhat in the wing area:

 

[BarnGoddess01]

I am sorry for hijacking this thread but I can not tell you how much I appreciate any and all input! I will look at the pics I have right now and see if I can crop a wing pic of one of the babies. The pics were taken today. The Mom hen in the pic. does not visibly have this feather problem, it is her offspring. As soon as the chicks real feathers come in they are looking bad. Also, the mesh seen in the pic by the hens tail is plastic and she has only been in that pen with the babies since she hatched them out 2 days ago.

You are asking questions that ALL of us can learn from - regardless of breed - so I'm pretty sure nobody is going to complain!!!

 

[pips&peeps]

The feathers don't look quite right on either of the offspring. I guess I should have been more specific about the wing feathers. Can you spread them out and take a close up of the primary wing feathers?

I personally think you have some recessive trait showing up here that the cock bird and the hen is carrying. Are they related?

Also are you having a hard time hatching or keeping the chicks alive?

 

[Zanna]

The feathers don't look quite right on either of the offspring. I guess I should have been more specific about the wing feathers. Can you spread them out and take a close up of the primary wing feathers?

I personally think you have some recessive trait showing up here that the cock bird and the hen is carrying. Are they related?

Also are you having a hard time hatching or keeping the chicks alive?

I have been leaning towards the recessive gene as well Just can't buy the environment reason when all their hatchmates of other breeds look great! I am going to test breed the cocks son back to the Mom once she finishes with the new babies and see what happens....... If this issue continues, back to the drawing board. Also, watching what will happen to the chicks feathers after the juvie molt.

Chicks have been hatching like gangbusters in incubator and/or under broodies and seem to be very hardy..........., hen and cock are from two different lines.

If you think it is appropriate to continue this discussion on this thread, I will get more pics. Monday and post them, leaving town for the weekend.

Thanks again!