My polish crest

[LaurasLeonard]

I just noticed this morning my 8 month old pulleys crest looks like sticks in the center. I' m worried about what causes this. It has been really wet and rainy this week, but I don't see evidence of mites. Does anyone have suggestions?

 

[shortgrass]

Can you share a picture? They might be pin feathers; my 2 newest girls(Buff polish) are both sprouting pin feathers in their crests. They're 7 months old and going through a winter feather growth spurt, adding more plumage.

Could be what's going on with yours, but a picture says 1000 words in these cases

 

[LaurasLeonard]

Thanks here is a pic

 

[shortgrass]

Yep, sure enough. Those are pin feathers. As new feathers grow in, the appear like little needles or tubes; kinda like a straw with the feather inside. They'll scratch the outer sheath off and there will be a new, pretty feather inside.

No worries, perfectly normal. Young birds don't have their first official full molt until they're 12-18 months old, so they just grow a few more here and there until then.

 

[LaurasLeonard]

Thanks I'll post a pic when she is pretty again