Feather question

[aart]

A local breeder. On Facebook as New Jersey Chickens. He is on here as well and I can tag him if you feel it would be beneficial.

No need for a tag, unless you want....but what has he said about it?
I wonder if he's doing any lavenders, have seen where their feathers are often kind of 'tattered'(not really the right word, but don't know what to call it.)

 

[Lumikko]

No need for a tag, unless you want....but what has he said about it?
I wonder if he's doing any lavenders, have seen where their feathers are often kind of 'tattered'(not really the right word, but don't know what to call it.)

The pre-posting forum searching led me to pictures of the "tattered" feathers in lavenders. It does look similar and he does breed lavenders as well. I've sent him an email but haven't heard back yet.

Chicken ownership is an educational experience to say the least.

 

[Mrs. K]

Sometimes too, chickens just kind of go through an awkward stage, where they are growing very fast and kind of unevenly. I do like AArts idea of lavenders.

Are they eating well and active? That is a pretty good sign things are ok.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Take them to the vet if it's a possible sign of something? I worry. My cockerel died suddenly overnight last week and now I'm a tad on the paranoid side.

My job is slow at the moment. Too much time to stare at the chickens

I do wish you had gotten that necropsy. There may have been other medical reasons he seized other than neurological. How old were they when you got them and how old were they when he died? What type of chicken feed had you been giving?

 

[Lumikko]

Sometimes too, chickens just kind of go through an awkward stage, where they are growing very fast and kind of unevenly. I do like AArts idea of lavenders.

Are they eating well and active? That is a pretty good sign things are ok.

Yup, they seem to be doing great otherwise. Eating, drinking, and active.

 

[Lumikko]

I do wish you had gotten that necropsy. There may have been other medical reasons he seized other than neurological. How old were they when you got them and how old were they when he died? What type of chicken feed had you been giving?

They were around 4 days old when I got them and he was 9 weeks old when he died. They were initially on DuMOR chicken starter/grower and transitioned over to Purina start and grow.

Honestly, I do too.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

OK. Then my concern isn't with feed.

 

[Mrs. K]

I would not worry about the rooster, sometimes there is genetic defect, that is not severe when little, but the body cannot keep up with as the bird grows. I WOULD be concerned if you lost several more birds or a lot of birds began to become sick or less active.

Chickens do frequently die. It is unrealistic to expect them all to live. I have had deaths with in a few days of hatching, then right around 8-10 weeks, and then between 2-2.5 years. Not huge numbers of deaths, just occasionally, but over the years, enough to notice the pattern.

Single deaths, just fine one day, and dead the next are not real uncommon. Granted I have always had hatchery birds, or barnyard mixes, and they are not bred for longevity.

When you need to be concerned, is if the flock is sick, or several die. I will admit, that one spell I lost one bird a month for three months running, I was getting worried, but never lost another one.

Sorry for your loss, but if you keep chickens, keep a flock, knowing that birds will be added and removed from the flock.

Mrs K

 

[Lumikko]

Thank you for this, it does help to read. When I decided to not pursue a necropsy, the decision was made knowing that if one of the others was to die then I would do a necropsy.