Hi there
I am new to raising chickens and have noticed that two of my chicks have ruffled feathers while the other five chicks feathers are normal, smooth and sleek. Their behaviour is normal, energetic and curious. They are being fed an Organic chick starter mash that I like to soak in water, but also give them the option to peck at a feeder with non-soaked feed at all times. Their coop is clean, water and feed bowls cleaned regularly, ACV in water... From some of my readings and searching on here I feel like its just how they're growing their feathers, especially as chicks, but I also want to clarify that it isn't anything more serious or that I am missing something.
It is particularly obvious with my Lavender Meran chicks.
They like to move so much! Im sorry the pictures are not 100% clear. The second photo is the larger of the two and has greater progress on the tail than the chick in the first photo, but the tail is still pretty ruffled looking/doesn't look healthy as seen in the third photo. The black australorp also seems to have a bit of rufflyness, but not nearly like the merans.
Is this simply just a part of their growth process? Is it some sort of deficiency? I checked out a poop chart and even though some poops are runny and some are not, all poops in the coop are in the range of normal and I have never seen any poops with blood or anything abnormal (someone had linked a poop chart in another discussion, what a fantastic resource! https://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=17568.0. just in case someone wants to check it out)
Thank you!
I am new to raising chickens and have noticed that two of my chicks have ruffled feathers while the other five chicks feathers are normal, smooth and sleek. Their behaviour is normal, energetic and curious. They are being fed an Organic chick starter mash that I like to soak in water, but also give them the option to peck at a feeder with non-soaked feed at all times. Their coop is clean, water and feed bowls cleaned regularly, ACV in water... From some of my readings and searching on here I feel like its just how they're growing their feathers, especially as chicks, but I also want to clarify that it isn't anything more serious or that I am missing something.
It is particularly obvious with my Lavender Meran chicks.
They like to move so much! Im sorry the pictures are not 100% clear. The second photo is the larger of the two and has greater progress on the tail than the chick in the first photo, but the tail is still pretty ruffled looking/doesn't look healthy as seen in the third photo. The black australorp also seems to have a bit of rufflyness, but not nearly like the merans.
Is this simply just a part of their growth process? Is it some sort of deficiency? I checked out a poop chart and even though some poops are runny and some are not, all poops in the coop are in the range of normal and I have never seen any poops with blood or anything abnormal (someone had linked a poop chart in another discussion, what a fantastic resource! https://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=17568.0. just in case someone wants to check it out)
Thank you!
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