Barred Rocks- slow to feather??

[pinkfeather]

Hey everyone!

I have 1 barred rock rooster and he's quite pretty. Except for 1 thing- he doesn't seem to have a tail. He's about 5 months old and looks like a rumpless! I got some eggs from a breeder (Nice guy. He gave them to me actualy. ) and hatched them, but I doubt he was breeding rumpless BR's. How did I get this? Are BR's just slow to feather? Is he ever going to get a tail? He has just saddle feathers and like 2 small feathers that kinda come together where his nice big tail is suposed to be.

Thanks!

Edited to add he's a bantam.

 

[Alaskan]

I would think one of the other chickens is pulling the feathers out.

A good suggestion from this board is to cover the featherless spot with ducktape. then the new feathers can grow in undisturbed and the tape will fall off on its own when enough feathers have grown in.

 

[speckledhen]

Actually, BRs are quick to feather out, even the males. They do take a tad longer to get a tail, but not much. Here is mine at 15 weeks old and I consider him very normal for a BR cockerel:

 

[pinkfeather]

Ooo. Nice rooster there, Cyn. Maybe I will try the duct (or should I say chicken?) tape. I doubt, though, that anyone is picking out his feather. I don't think he's really bald any where. He looks kinda like those "true" or "rumpless" Aracuna (sp?).