Feathered Leg Question

[BluebirdHomestead]

In a feather legged breed such as Marans, is the amount of leg feathers they have at hatch a good indication of whether or not they will be well feathered or not as adults? I hatched out 3 Birchen Marans chicks recently. 1 has amazing leg feathering right away and the other 2 less so. Curious if they ever grow more and fill out or if the 2 with less are not quite up to par. Pic of one with good leg feathers attached.

 

[Henry&Friends]

Im not sure, but I believe They molt many times while growing from chicks to adolescents. So I assume the leg feathers would molt and grow again, with chance of more feathers growing in as well.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Leg feathers will fill in a bit, as a bird is best feathered at adulthood (6 to 8 months) but sparsely or no feathered as chicks can be a harbinger of sparsely to no feathered as adults.

So I do find it an indicator. My best feathered footed birds were that way from hatch.

Just my experience working with Marans, their crosses, and Cochins.

LofMc

ETA: the chick pictured doesn't appear like it will have much leg feathering...my experience.

 

[BluebirdHomestead]

Leg feathers will fill in a bit, as a bird is best feathered at adulthood (6 to 8 months) but sparsely or no feathered as chicks can be a harbinger of sparsely to no feathered as adults.

So I do find it an indicator. My best feathered footed birds were that way from hatch.

Just my experience working with Marans, their crosses, and Cochins.

LofMc

ETA: the chick pictured doesn't appear like it will have much leg feathering...my experience.

Oh gosh, really? If that one won’t have much leg feathering then the other two won’t have much at all. I thought that was good leg feathering at hatch. Shows my inexperience. Thanks for chiming in. Really appreciate it. More pics of that same chick attached.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Sorry for the alarm. The first photo had poor angle that hid the down to look like shank color...that chick above will have nice leg feathering...I was assuming the first photo was shank COLOR since Marans should have silver-grey legs. On zoomed close up, I can see the first photo that they are feathers. Toes will change color to a proper Marans grey in a couple of weeks as newly hatched chicks can have light pigment at the toes.

The second photos nicely show the down fuzz on the outside of the toe, like it should be.

If you have nice fuzz down along the outside of the leg, it should feather in.

I'll post a photo of my Black Copper Marans chicks that all feathered nicely. You can see the feather down was solid on outside of toe on the chick to the right: