Could this be the silliest question ever??? UPDATED WITH PICS

[aussiechicken]

Hi all,
My little bubbas are doing so well and I could honestly watch them for hours! They are all eating and drinking like champs and alternate between trashing the place and sleeping. I have one little Plymouth Rock (Named Oddball - note to self, don't let husband help choosing names!) and she/he (hopefully she) seems to be losing her feathers/fluff etc... It started off just on the "elbow" of one wing, but now it's on both and also she's thinning out on her body. Is this normal???

I can post a pic if that would help

Sorry if this is the most stupid question ever and feel free to post lots of rolled eyes smilies if it is!

Cheers,
Alicia

Edited to add - she's probably about one week or slightly more old

 

[Jloeffler]

I wish I could help more than giving you a bump! Good luck!

 

[jenni22776rn]

No such thing as a silly question!!! This from someone who has asked just about any question possibe!! lol!! Pictures would be helpful...sometimes Roos tend to lose their fluffy feathers and do not fill in right off. Also some of the bigger breeds....they tend to take longer to fill in and look really funny for a while..with alot of bald spots..looks like they have been through a feather picker and has yet to fill in! Best of luck

 

[aussiechicken]

Ok,
Here are the pics of our little Oddball! I hope it's just that she's thinning out before the big feathers come through???? I hope nothing is wrong with her but if you think there is please let me know so I can get onto it straight away - she is such a friendly little thing!

Thanks in advance for your help

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

You didn't share how old your chicks are. My girls are about 10 weeks old now and my recollection is that you get about a week, maybe two, of adorable fluff balls and then about a month of ridiculous. During their awkward adolescence there are bald patches and diseased looking places where the fluffy baby down is gone and what is replacing it looks like porcupine quills. Their legs get longer and their necks get longer and only us chicken-loving mommy types could ever consider them cute. One of my Plymouth rock babies grew all of her regular feathers except for this hilarious afro of fluff on the top and back of her head. She still has about 5 fluffy tufts left although the rest of her (and all of her age mates) are smooth, shiny pullets now.

So, your bald patches may be just your introduction to this next phase. However, I am not an expert. Perhaps you should search this site (or the web) for photos of what mite infestation and other parasites or skin conditions look like and be sure your little chick doesn't carry any nasty bugs.

 

[aussiechicken]

Thanks hummingbird. I thought I had said in the original post that she is about 1-1.5wks old. Sorry about that! I will check the site as you suggested and see what I come up with. I have checked her and cant see any visible parasites etc but I'm very new to this. I was hoping that this was just her getting her feathers and losing the cute fluff!

 

[Pele]

That is a slightly unusual feather loss there. Do you see little quills coming in at the bald spot? Is the skin underneath healthy looking?

 

[aussiechicken]

No not really Pele.... Just baldness

one whole half of her neck is bald but you dont notice it as her fluff sort of covers it if that makes any sense. Any thoughts?

 

[LovinChicknFarmn]

Is she in with other chickens that could be pecking at her?

 

[aussiechicken]

Thanks for the reply LovinChicknFarmn - she is by far the biggest in there (she's a good week older than some) and she actually seems to be the leader. I've watched them and not noticed any pecking. I was even watching her preen herself which she does a fair bit but she's not pulling any feathers out.