CLEAR wing feathers???? HUH????

[luvmychicknkids]

I was just looking at my little baby chickies and checking their ever growing wing feathers. I picked up one of my hubby's darling little La Fleche babies, stretched out her wing, and realized she has clear stripes on the feathers.

I mean really clear...you can see anything through it. It is in just a few little stripes but totally clear...not even a hint of opacity. And no, they aren't bare, there really are feathers there. I tried to get a pic but couldn't get it to show...will try again later. Has anyone ever heard of anything like this??????

 

[fowltemptress]

I've had chicks with that. Color usually comes in to replace it eventually, but while it's there it looks almost like the bird is striped with missing lines of feathers. It's really cool when it gives the feathers a disconnected floating look.

 

[luvmychicknkids]

Quote:
Yeah, it really is cool looking......my first thought when I saw it was "why aren't these feathers falling off...they aren't connected!!!" I just hope the color that comes in is black!!! I realize these are hatchery birds but my hubby is gonna be upset if he gets striped La Fleche!!!! LOL

 

[fowltemptress]

That was my first thought, too. I can't remember exactly, but I think I only noticed it on my black breeds. It may have occurred in my other breeds, but the black just made it stand out enough to be very noticeable. I never had any doubt they'd turn out fully black, though, and they did. It seems a bit of a shame, because if I had had any imagination I would have pictured my chickens gradually turning invisible the same way mottling spreads. Now that would be interesting . . .

 

[rebecca100]

I want an invisible chicken!! No fair!! I could just see me talking to them, petting them, feeding them, gathering eggs. Then I could just see me in an institution screaming let me out of here....they're real, I tell you!!!!! They're REAL!!!! LOL