Is it common for 4-5 week old meat birds to have sparse feathers under their wings, on their rumps,

[WillowHavenFarm]

I don't remember this with our laying hens but we have quite a few meat birds with very sparse feathers under their wings and a few with sparse feathers on their bums and necks. Some of our birds are 4 weeks and some are 5 weeks. The lack of under wing feathers doesn't matter in regards to age but the bum and neck feathers seem to be more prominent in the smallest birds.

Is this normal or is their a potential issue causing this?

 

[katbriar]

When you say meat birds do you mean cornish cross? If so it's completely normal.

Patchy feathers are very common in them because their skin is expanding so rapidly.

I was looking a my four week olds as they stretched and preened today. There were almost no feathers on their side under their wings or on their thighs and tops of their drumsticks. Very easy to see them as the dressed birds they'll be in a few more weeks!

 

[snowflake]

I agree, they lose feathers on heir bellys also

 

[WillowHavenFarm]

We are raising Freedom Rangers. The ones that look the worst, feather wise, are actually the smallest birds. They were in cramped quarters for a bit longer than we would have liked due to flooding and two family deaths that kept us from getting our tractor finished so I don't know if part of it could be stress as well.