Chick Down Defect

[artbykarenehaley]

I have been hatching some chicks out this past week, and three have hatched with a strange issue regarding their down.

This is the most severe case. This little guy has bumps of skin with some feather tissue poking out, some just bumps where the feathers should be, or bald patches altogether. There are two others, both also black with black skin like this one.

Was the culprit increased humidity due to the other chicks hatching? Genetics? Perhaps a temperature issue, as my incubator was more often near 100 to 101 especially as humidity went up. These three hatched later on in the incubation process, the first chicks hatched this Monday. The first with this issue hatched yesterday morning, another that afternoon and this one late last night. The hatch isn't done. Two are left.

 

[Peaches Lee]

That is a curious thing. I had one Silkie chick that I bought from TSC that had a bald spot on his head above his eye.

What breed are your chicks? If they are any of the frizzle/Silkie types maybe that has something to do with it.

 

[artbykarenehaley]

That is a curious thing. I had one Silkie chick that I bought from TSC that had a bald spot on his head above his eye.

What breed are your chicks? If they are any of the frizzle/Silkie types maybe that has something to do with it.

They are mixed breeds, this chicks' mom was a Cochin and the dad a mosaic EE mix. The mosaics are fibromelanistic like Silkie and Ayam Cemani, and Mosaic chickens are a newer breed with silkie in their heritage so you might be on to something

 

[Peaches Lee]

Oh, very interesting. Hopefully just time and growing up will help their feathers. Either that, you'll have to get them some cute little sweaters for when it's chilly!

 

[artbykarenehaley]

Oh, very interesting. Hopefully just time and growing up will help their feathers. Either that, you'll have to get them some cute little sweaters for when it's chilly!

The two others that have this issue still have bumpy skin, but their down has fluffed out a lot more. Unfortunately this little one didn't make it. I kept it in the incubator with a little buddy for a while but it just never got steady and eventually passed away.

 

[ChickyMudder]

Just had a chick hatch with the exact same bumps. Mine is also black with black skin. Also a back yard mix. Roo was Buff Orpington and other unknowns crossed with Rhode Island Hen. Im thinking the black pigment is our common factor. Did your others grow feathers?

 

[nuthatched]

Just had a chick hatch with the exact same bumps. Mine is also black with black skin. Also a back yard mix. Roo was Buff Orpington and other unknowns crossed with Rhode Island Hen. Im thinking the black pigment is our common factor. Did your others grow feathers?

This is an old thread, my friend, if you need help, please make a new thread for personalized answers.