New feathers?

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nwhen14

nwhen14

Hatching
5 Years
Mar 25, 2014
8
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7
I'm a new chick mom. My little 1 1/2week chicks are preening, scratching, or something all the time now. I looked at one of them because she looks a bit rough. It looks like there are maybe feathers growing in. With kind of tubes surrounding them. Is that a new feather? They're all acting normal. Just preening a lot. Is this normal?
 
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Yes, completely normal! They are growing out of their fuzzy coat and growing in their new feathers. What you are seeing is called "pin feathers". They contain a tiny bit of blood to nourish the new growing feather and the blood will back off when the feather gets a bit larger. They will molt again around 5 months old and then won't molt until 1 1/2 years old, where they will molt once a year in the fall or winter.

If you need any tips and hints on raising your new babies, stop by our learning center her on BYC for lots of good reads on all the aspects of raising and growing your new flock!....

https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center

Great to have you aboard and enjoy your new babies!!
 
Hello :frow and Welcome To BYC! TwoCrows gave you some good advice, sounds like your babies are just growing in their feathers. From The Poultry Site " The pullet. The chick goes through one complete and three partial moults during its growth to point of lay, after which the mature bird normally undergoes one complete moult a year, usually in autumn although this depends on the time of the year at which the bird commenced laying. Generally complete moulting occurs from 1-6 weeks and partial moulting at 7-9 weeks, 12-16 weeks and 20-22 weeks, and during this latter moult the stiff tail feathers are grown."
 
Thank you sooo much. I guess I'm a little paranoid, but better safe then sorry and lose a chick. When I was cleaning the shavings a little while ago I did notice some of the others had some coming in too. I'm going to miss the puffiness though. ;)
 
You aren't paranoid, you are observant. People learn by asking and getting answers - then they are able to teach someone else. I'm always learning something on this site - I guess that is why I seem to be on here off and entire through the entire day.
 
I know that it's been about 3 years since this thread saw "action," but I figured this might be a good place to ask... (I also posted in a 2017 new chicken owner's thread.)

This chick is about a week and a half old, and we've had her for 8 days. She has had this dirty-looking spot on her neck for a week. Today I was investigating by moving the down around to see if I could clean it and I noticed it looks like a bunch of dark "spikes" coming out of the neck. It could be dirt/poop clumping like that, but I was wondering if it might be something else? Perhaps some feathers coming in??

She seems otherwise perfectly healthy and happy - growing and developing as her sisters.

Any ideas?

 

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