Baby chicks bowing up to eachother

[aart]

Aside from that... your EE is showing classic signs of some sort of external parasite. Can you see how the feathers by the finger look frayed but not ALL the way to the feather shaft??

3.5 weeks old....new feathers growing out, that's sheathing you are seeing.
Dirt is from dust bath, I presume.

 

[Maatawry]

Okay I was wrong. They are 4.5 weeks. But yea, that fraying is old feather and dust bathing I assume. I'm not chicken expert but I haven't noticed anything that would indicate parasites. So maybe it's just the pic. Here is one of them sided by side for comb comparison.

You can see my cochin (Scramble) has got a little larger, more pink comb. The lady I split the order with contacted me her that her cochin was also showing a

slightly larger comb with more pink than her other breeds. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed its a breed thing.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

3.5 weeks old....new feathers growing out, that's sheathing you are seeing.
Dirt is from dust bath, I presume.

Yes, I considered that as a possibility... but why the hollow looking feathers?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

So I'm keeping my fingers crossed its a breed thing.

In your pic.. it's true the flesh behind the comb is more pink. But the comb itself is still nice and yellow.

Dust bathing doesn't cause that hollowness I am describing in the feathers. And neither will they get that "old" looking by this age, also in regards to the fraying I am describing. Sorry, I'm a super attention to detail person... and I mentioned it. Right now they will go through a bunch of mini molts still... so that will help combat some pests naturally. Just because you don't see them doesn't mean they aren't there.

Your Cochin would naturally have a bigger or taller looking comb than the EE even if female, since Cochin has straight comb and EE SHOULD have a pea comb. Yours look correct.

ETA: the first pic looks like it might be a straight comb on the EE, but can't see it like that in the second pic.

 

[Maatawry]

Well now I'm super paranoid. I don't know what you mean with hollow feathers? I'll take another pic when I get home.

 

[aart]

I don't know what you mean with hollow feathers?

Me neither.