Chicks not feathering at 8 weeks old

[felys]

Hello all
I have chicks that are 8 weeks old that are still not feathering out.

They looks quite similar to their siblings (2nd batch I hatched, same parents) who are 3 weeks old. And that's making me concerned.

My uncle said that they may not be getting the right food. So I went to get new feed about a week ago and have been supplementing them with scrambled eggs.

They eat a lot, their poop looks good (one had a pasty butt, but she's ok now). And they can jump, perch and fly/glide pretty well.

Younger chicks - photo with the 2 chicks
Older chicks - individual chick photos.

The temperature where I stay is usually about 22 degrees Celsius (lowest, late nights, rainy times) and 32-33 degrees Celsius (most of the time, though the weather app says it can feel like 36 to 39 degrees Celsius). Tropical weather. I sun them during the mornings, out in the verandah.

The older ones are in a modified dog cage, about 4 ft X 4ft. 6 of them inside there. It's really roomy for their size since they are about palm sized now.

Appreciate some input and help. Thank you in advance.

 

[Lor]

Wow! They sure don't have their feathers.
I'm not any help in this situation.

 

[CountryWomanFarms]

The extra protein from the scrambled egg should help. They need lots of protein to grow feathers but other than that and your change of feed I don’t know what else you could do I’ve never heard of anything like this happening. Wishing you the best of luck.

 

[Poodlemum]

Hmmm, that’s so interesting! I had a little lavender Orpington roo that was super small and slow to feather, but he was definitely caught up by 6 weeks or so.

 

[felys]

Wow! They sure don't have their feathers.
I'm not any help in this situation.

Even their fluff isn't as fluffy anymore but no feathers coming up.

 

[21hens-incharge]

What were you feeding them and what are you currently feeding?

 

[felys]

What were you feeding them and what are you currently feeding?

I got them from the petshop. It had 20% protein content and I added on corn and sometime seeds like sesame and sunflower.

About one week now - I bought new feed recommended by the local feed store. I'm attaching the contents. And I'm supplementing with scrambled eggs too.

 

[Lor]

Even their fluff isn't as fluffy anymore but no feathers coming up.

That's surprising to me. I have a 5 week old chick who is slow to grow (a runt) and slow to feather but has more feathering than yours. Still has the fuzz sticking out every where.

 

[felys]

The extra protein from the scrambled egg should help. They need lots of protein to grow feathers but other than that and your change of feed I don’t know what else you could do I’ve never heard of anything like this happening. Wishing you the best of luck.

Thank you. I'll continue feeding them scrambled eggs. They do love it. But they are greedy little creatures. I keep topping up their feed but it seems never enough.

Their crops are pretty full. Unless they have parasites

 

[U_Stormcrow]

STOP adding the corn and the sunflower seed. Just STOP.

This is a study (on turkey, but the same processes are involved in chickens, and the same amino acids) re: dietary requirements for feather growth. METHIONINE. Absolutely critical.

Corn is low total protein, and not high in Methionine as a % of that protein.

Sunflower is high protein, VERY high fat (not good), but very low Methionine as a % of total protein. Sesame seed is somewhat better, though also high fat.

Do you have access to low cost fish or crab meal - or the dried tiny shrimp often used as a seasoning??? any of those would be far better feed suppliments (assuming no added salt) than what you are offering. Or fish scraps (from the collar/cheek/etc) of any type ? Cooked is fine.

Here in the US, synthetic methionine is added to the feed to bring its levels up, its that important to early chicken development, and affects them the rest of their lives.

Also, check for mites.