chicks with bald spots

[Mister B]

About 2 weeks ago, I hatched out a dozen chicks. I kept them inside for a few days and then moved them outside. They have been in a cage outside since. I sold half last weekend, so there are only 6 in the cage. On the shoulder of their wings, they are all looking a little bald. All the feathers aren't gone, its just thinning. Are they losing their chick feathers and growing adult ones or what? Any help?

 

[Mrs. K]

they do kind of look scraggly as the new feathers grow in

 

[Alaskan]

It could be two different things.

Either

1. Sometimes you can see more skin when they are between chick fluff and their adult feathers.

2. They could be bored about being in a small cage, and so have started picking out each others feathers.

 

[Mister B]

They seem to be better now. They sure do grow fast. They will be 3 weeks this Saturday, and they already have "real feathers" on their wings and their tail feathers are starting to come in. I am not sure when to put them in with their parents. When is a good age?

 

[Alaskan]

Unfortunately, you need to wait until they are almost the same size as the adults. There are lots of threads here on BYC that discuss how to introduce new chicks.

Do remember that everyone will be safer with two waterers, two feeders, and lots of perch space.

The problem is that the older chickens tend to peck, even kill, younger ones.

 

[Mister B]

What I ended p doing was making a "cross fence" in the chicken pen. I put the chicks on one side and the older chickens on the other. The chicks roam freely back and forth (they go right through the fence). The older hens peck them occasionally, but nothing severe. One chick I call Crow (they are barred rock, but he/she is jet black with one white puff on top. I think a crow got into the cage lol) ran up to the biggest hen, stretched his neck as far it could and pecked her right on the beak. She was startled, stepped back, and went back to scratching. I laughed until I thought I would wet myself. They seem to be getting along well. I plan to open the cross fence a little this afternoon and give the adults free access to the whole pen again.