Juvenile Moult? And ID help plz

[droy1028]

I got some chicks from a breeder about 35 mins from me. One of them, estimated at appx 4 weeks old, has already began to moult and drop its chick fuzz in masses. At first the skin looked super dry and my other chicks would pick at it, so I hit it with some blukote and they're now leaving it alone. It even seems to have started growing pin feathers there already.

Dude also told me this little guy is Ayam Cemani. Anyone able to verify? The guy is pretty well known and I trust him, but ya know... Cemanis are rare and before I go crazy and buy anymore I wanna be sure.

Thanks!

 

[DobieLover]

Not really a molt but just growing his first set of feathers.
Looks like an Ayam Cemani to me. Did you check inside his mouth to see if it is also black?

 

[TheBeardie]

I believe open mouth pictures will help with Id. I'm definitely not an expert, but I believe the mouth is supposed to be black too. Yes it does look like pin feathers are coming in. Chicks do look like vultures for a while, I'm pretty sure the loss is normal at this point.

 

[droy1028]

I'll check the mouth and get some pics. I think I may get a few more, especially at the price i paid, if the mouth checks out. I'd love to get a breeding pair eventually. I think it would be most efficient to wait and see if this ones a pullet or cockerel and just see if the gentleman will sell me the opposite.

 

[DobieLover]

I'll check the mouth and get some pics. I think I may get a few more, especially at the price i paid, if the mouth checks out. I'd love to get a breeding pair eventually. I think it would be most efficient to wait and see if this ones a pullet or cockerel and just see if the gentleman will sell me the opposite.

Also wait until it is fully feathered to make sure there is no leakage and that the comb and wattles develop fully black with no maroon color to them.

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

Chicks don't molt at this age. They are just growing in their adult feathers. If it's fuzz is falling out, it has some sort of problem.

 

[aart]

Must be a bit younger than 4 weeks with that much down still there.

 

[Ms Biddy]

It's not a juvenile moult and there isn't a problem. Most likely, this chick carries the tardy feathering gene. In my experience it is not uncommon in AC's and some other fibro breeds. I have a line of Hmong meat chickens that also carries it. It is not an indicator of breed, just a gene that causes short down that falls out faster than the feathers grow. The chick will feather out normally and eventually be no different from its peers.

 

[Ms Biddy]

Here is an example from my flock.

Before:

After:

 

[droy1028]

Ms Biddy your birds are BEAUTIFUL! and the mouth is indeed all black folks! I dont wanna rile my baby all up prying his mouth open for pics just yet.