Molting

[Frosty]

My peas have been going through a molt, and the feather explosion is slowing down. Both of them are two year olds. I found a few white feathers, so guessing they are from the hen (silver pied). These feathers are around three inches long and just fuzzy! They make me think of ostrich feathers... a shaft and the barbs appear to not lock it together, they are soft and downy. I just love these feathers! What part of the hen would they be from? Possibly the female version of the train?

 

[Kev]

That size and longer are from the breast/belly on sides of body including upper legs and underside of the tail. There are puffy feathers on back too but short, like cotton balls and mostly hidden from view. It can be seen on adult males after they have shed all of their eye feathers.

Female version of train are long flat feathers.

 

[krobin04]

We found some like this today! They are gorgeous and my kids could not stop rubbing them. Ostrich is what we thought of too.