Feathers coming in on the shoulders

[heby]

I have my first chicks that I have been raising from day after hatching. I noticed some feathers coming in on the back of a few of my chicks. I was wondering if this was typical of certain breeds or if it happens to all of them and I've just never noticed them. I'm hoping they are normal and not a characteristic of a roo. Does a pullet usually feather out faster? This chick has the longest wings and tail feathers. Some of my others don't have much of a tail at all.

 

[3riverschick]

I have my first chicks that I have been raising from day after hatching. I noticed some feathers coming in on the back of a few of my chicks. I was wondering if this was typical of certain breeds or if it happens to all of them and I've just never noticed them. I'm hoping they are normal and not a characteristic of a roo. Does a pullet usually feather out faster? This chick has the longest wings and tail feathers. Some of my others don't have much of a tail at all.

Hi,
Poultry don't get their feathers all over their bodies all at once. They develop them along different zones of the body at different times until they are all feathered out.I don't remember the zone progression for development of the feahers in chicks. Maybe someone here can answer that.
Best,
Karen

 

[randys]

I have 4 different kinds of chicks 2 weeks old. All 12 of the little girls (i'm hoping), wings grow first and now tail and back feathers are coming in.

Randy

 

[heby]

Thank you. I figured I just didn't pay attention and didn't notice it on my last chicks.

 

[MegTheHenEggQueen]

Girlies usually get their shoulder feathers and tail feathers first! Congrats it’s a girl

 

[debid]

Completely normal. They get enough wing to fly long before the body fills in. You can imagine why that would be a priority. You're seeing the upper wing feathers and probably the upper chest now too. It takes a while to get them all and the priority is flight then warmth, and then they start their juvenile molts to get larger feathers to cover their growing bodies

 

[thecatumbrella]

All my pullets have feathered out this way. I call it the "shoulder pad" phase. Usually happens around the 3-week mark.

 

[debid]

Epaulettes