Reason for feathers curling

[ambe0487]

I have a 9 month old hen that has always been smoothed coat. She began molting a couple months ago and since then her neck feathers have been curling in a weird way.

I've checked for mites, lice, and etc. wondering if this is anything I should be concerned? She is fed flock raiser with oyster shell, veggies, fruits, and now sprouted BOSS since her molt started.

No other birds have shown this during their molt or any other time.

Thanks for your help

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That's very interesting, it almost reminds me of an araucana and ear tufts. 9 months is an odd age to be molting. Sometimes as they get their final adult feathers things can pop up that weren't there as young ones, usually the color can change, as well as length of feathers. She doesn't look unwell, so I would wait and see how her feathers grow out in the end, it's possible it could be some recessive gene showing itself.

 

[Kev]

It is a trait that shows up in some chickens, often seems associated with beard/muff. I've seen it before in other EE, other people's breeding projects involving beard/muffs etc.

It can show without beard/muffs present- it shows up not so uncommonly in oriental type chickens(asil, shamo, malay etc).

Googled a few pictures of orientals showing this trait:

http://i.imgur.com/GLeTqNU.jpg

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ViKT6QPt79w/VuGglxzF-sI/AAAAAAAAAIU/PekHvgQqHi4/s1600/Amroha-Aseel-1.jpg

Hen on left shows it, hard to see due to their naturally much shorter and harder feather. It is much easier to see on long feathered birds, like your girl.

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j412/paddlefish1/IMG_0301.jpg

Did not try googling for other EE as there are way too many pictures of them and it shows up far less in them than in orientals.. hence the oriental bias above.

I don't know if there's an established name for it. Nothing to worry about, and I do think it looks "cool". Enjoy your extra-special girl.

 

[ambe0487]

@[@]oldhenlikesdogs[/@]
@Kev

I forgot to post a before photo of her. Also, she lays a blue egg daily. She was suppose to be pure Amerucana but her coloring didn't fit standards. I have heard about their feathers and colors changing with each molt but wasn't thinking she would change this much.

Thanks for the information to look into, this is really interested.

 

[aart]

Yeah, that an EE not an Ameraucana.....typical mis-breed marketing.
Did you get her at a hatchery?

Many of my EE's have long curved hackle feathers like that...but maybe not quite that curvy.
Looks like someone has been eating her muff/beard feathers...I see that here too.

 

[ambe0487]

I got her from a breeder. I'm not worried if she is an AMER or an EE as I own a small backyard flock and I don't breed my birds for hatching/selling. She a sweet girl. I thought it was feather picking at first, I can feel her feathers coming in other places so I know she is somewhat molting. We are getting close to winter here in the Midwest and so all my birds from this hatch are doing a molt to get ready for winter.
Sounds like it's not anything to really worry about right now so I'll wait and see if it gets better or worse!

Thanks!

 

[Kev]

That is an adorable picture!

There is a slight hint of the 'curl' in the first pic looking down on her. It's possible for the curl to show up more or less during a molt. Seeing as she has the 'big neck' look in those other pictures, it could be her neck is going through a molt right now and that's making the curl much more apparent than usual or perhaps it will be more obvious from now on with full maturity. Or something like that.. it is not too well understood.

 

[sjango]

I have this boy, just over 6 months who’s really curling!