- Jun 26, 2009
- 13
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I have 6 ISA Red chicks (commercial layer hybrid) . They are just over 6 weeks old.
They were all developing comparably from day 1. We went away, and missed their 2.5 week - 3.5 week development.
When we returned, one chick seemed WAY behind the others with respect to feathering. Her growth was a little behind. She was NOT the smallest (maybe middle of the pack). She was eating and drinking.
The first photo is a 5 week photo of one of my other chickens. All of the "normal" five look like this (slight differences in colouring of feathers, some have more fuzz on head and neck). They are all really nicely feathered and doing really well. The rest is of my funny looking chicken.
The funny looking chicken looks terrible compared to the others. Not feathering out at all. She was segregated with one other chicken for a while (a few days), then back with the group. For over a week, she has been segregated inside the house (the others are outside now) with a warm-ish bulb in the heater (just a 40w red one - the basement is cool and she is mostly naked). Her breast bone is totally exposed (like the fuzz rubbed off, and no feathers came in). Her vent was also bald. I am sure she was being pecked, but certainly not in the last week (as she has been alone).
She has been eating and drinking, but not nearly as much as I would have expected her to do. She has not grown many more feathers, but she is looking a lot less mangy now after the week in our 5 star resort. Her vent is covered in fuzz now. She has some pinfeathers. Feathers that have come in look "downy" rather than flat and sleek.
I have been giving her 2 kinds of chick food (variety seems to get her to eat more), cottage cheese, cat food (high protein for feathers) and some greens. Croup seems good. She is pooping.
I have no idea what to do. Have you seen this before? Any suggestions?
I am thinking of culling her (as I cannot keep one chicken in the house indefinitely). I will have to do it if she doesn't feather out. I need to put her out with the others eventually - I don't have space for more than one chicken coop and run. The others would surely tear her apart. And that is no way to go!
Thanks,
Kat
The normal Chickens:
The funny-looking-chicken:
They were all developing comparably from day 1. We went away, and missed their 2.5 week - 3.5 week development.
When we returned, one chick seemed WAY behind the others with respect to feathering. Her growth was a little behind. She was NOT the smallest (maybe middle of the pack). She was eating and drinking.
The first photo is a 5 week photo of one of my other chickens. All of the "normal" five look like this (slight differences in colouring of feathers, some have more fuzz on head and neck). They are all really nicely feathered and doing really well. The rest is of my funny looking chicken.
The funny looking chicken looks terrible compared to the others. Not feathering out at all. She was segregated with one other chicken for a while (a few days), then back with the group. For over a week, she has been segregated inside the house (the others are outside now) with a warm-ish bulb in the heater (just a 40w red one - the basement is cool and she is mostly naked). Her breast bone is totally exposed (like the fuzz rubbed off, and no feathers came in). Her vent was also bald. I am sure she was being pecked, but certainly not in the last week (as she has been alone).
She has been eating and drinking, but not nearly as much as I would have expected her to do. She has not grown many more feathers, but she is looking a lot less mangy now after the week in our 5 star resort. Her vent is covered in fuzz now. She has some pinfeathers. Feathers that have come in look "downy" rather than flat and sleek.
I have been giving her 2 kinds of chick food (variety seems to get her to eat more), cottage cheese, cat food (high protein for feathers) and some greens. Croup seems good. She is pooping.
I have no idea what to do. Have you seen this before? Any suggestions?
I am thinking of culling her (as I cannot keep one chicken in the house indefinitely). I will have to do it if she doesn't feather out. I need to put her out with the others eventually - I don't have space for more than one chicken coop and run. The others would surely tear her apart. And that is no way to go!
Thanks,
Kat
The normal Chickens:
The funny-looking-chicken:
