One Winged Chicken!

[CHIC]

Last night it was the weirdest thing, I was watching my babies and looking at how many feathers they are already getting when I noticed one of them wasn't getting hers. I picked her up and I don't know how I haven't noticed before but she only has one deformed wing and is completely missing the other! I am really worried about her. How is she going to survive without her wings? Doesn't she need them to keep her warm in the winter? Has anyone here experienced anything like this. I thought the hatchery sexed them by their wings, how could they not have noticed?

 

[Judy]

Hatcheries vent sex chicks; the vent is slightly opened and sexing is done by what is seen just inside.

Many on here would cull a chick like this. It could easily have other deformities, and you would not want it to reproduce. Your choice, of course. You could wait a while and see how it grows out. If it matures with a wing with no feathers, you are right, this could be a problem for it in winter.

You should let the hatchery know, even though you did not notice it right away. They rely on feedback to try to manage genetic problems. It is possible you would get some sort of credit for it, too. They might even have a little more information for you.

 

[powerline]

I don't think it will prevent it from keeping warm in the winter. But, it's like ddawn said, there may be other deformities. Wait until she begins to lay and see how she does. If she has no problem laying eggs, don't worry about her. She will be fine.