I have a Barred Rock rooster (my avatar) and a Silver-Laced Wyandotte hen. Both are just turning a year old.
This winter both began displaying feathers missing the black markings. In my rooster he has just one tail feather that has a 3 inch white section while all the rest of the feather is the typical black/white barring.
On the hen only her longest flight feathers on both wings became solid white--none of the black edging that is on the rest of her feathers.
I did not notice either chicken going through a molt this winter so it appears that these feathers just turned white, if that is possible. Both birds are typical hatchery stock, nothing fancy.
I have two all-black hens in my flock who show normal coloring. I have several other hens of various colors that show normal coloring--I'm only seeing the missing pigmentation on my only black-and-white birds.
The flock is in good condition--no mites, lice, etc.
I'm wondering if it's a nutritional deficiency or something else? All hens are laying tons of eggs with a strong shell, including the hen named here.
This winter both began displaying feathers missing the black markings. In my rooster he has just one tail feather that has a 3 inch white section while all the rest of the feather is the typical black/white barring.
On the hen only her longest flight feathers on both wings became solid white--none of the black edging that is on the rest of her feathers.
I did not notice either chicken going through a molt this winter so it appears that these feathers just turned white, if that is possible. Both birds are typical hatchery stock, nothing fancy.
I have two all-black hens in my flock who show normal coloring. I have several other hens of various colors that show normal coloring--I'm only seeing the missing pigmentation on my only black-and-white birds.
The flock is in good condition--no mites, lice, etc.
I'm wondering if it's a nutritional deficiency or something else? All hens are laying tons of eggs with a strong shell, including the hen named here.
