My slow feathering chick

[NancyinAlaska]

I got this chick as

a surprise special pullet from Ideal Poultry. She didn't feather and this pic was taken when she was about 15 wks old. I kept her inside until this past week. When I let her siblings out of the brooder, my hens went after her, so she came inside. Friends suggested just letting nature take it's course, I couldn't do that. She was hatched on June 17th and on Dec. 17th, she laid her 1st egg.She is VERY tiny Ideal sent a list of what the chicks were since it was a replacement, and she was "supposed" to be a bb red kraienkoppe...HA! The Answer Man in WI thinks she could be a poor Lakenvelder, has anyone got any ideas, ever had a chick like this?? She's doing pretty good in the coop, I was leary of putting her out in the winter, my coop is very well insulated and warm. She's started coming out of the corners. The boys did put a hole in her neck which I am treating. Anyone have any ideas as to what was wrong with her, ever raised a chick like this?????

 

[easttxchick]

Hmmm she does look Lakenvelder like. I can't really see what color her legs are. My Lakenvelders' legs are that gray-blue color.

 

[sewchick]

She turned out beautiful. I hope mine will too. She laid a fine looking egg. Now I have hope mine will get feathers. Wonder what causes it.

 

[easttxchick]

With the slate colored legs, she may very well be a Lakenvelder.

 

[usschicago1]

Maybe not enough protein slows down feather growth?

 

[onthespot]

that is indeed a fine looking egg. I don't think I would try to hatch any of her eggs ever though... wouldn't want more birds that feathered out that slow.

 

[SilverPhoenix]

Boy, she went from quite the strange-looking little thing to quite a lovely hen! I've heard feeding gamebird starter or flock raiser to slow-feathering birds can help them fill out faster (trying this with my serama chicks), so that's worth trying if another situation like this pops up again. Could just be some kind of genetic fluke, too, though. Very odd!