Slow developing Black Star

[R-Tizzle]

I am giving chicken raising a try, so far so good... I am happy, the chickens seem happy and they are a blast to watch. I have 6 chickens 1 Polish Crested, 1 Buff Orpington, 2 Ameraucanas and 2 Black Stars. I have had them for 3 weeks now and purchased them from the local farm supply store (the small mom and pop one), one of the Black Stars is developing really slowly. All the others went throught the feathers on the wings, tail, back and are now getting thinning neck fluff, the slow Black Star has some wing feathers and a few pins on the tail area but is way behind the others as far as feather development. She is just as active and playful as the others sometimes even more so, I do not think that other than the slow feather development she is off in any way.

Can anyone shed some light on this subject?

RT

 

[LeBlackbird]

All the runts I've ever had Perished. One of them was a Red star.

 

[gryeyes]

......just a bit of a head's up: sometimes those chicks feathering out more slowly are roosters.....

 

[theFox]

Quote:
Yes, however if they can't tell a black sex link pullet from a cockerel they need to go back to school and learn what a white spot on the head means.

Perhaps it isn't a black sex link at all. Maybe they got them mixed up with another kind of chicken, oops ;-).

 

[R-Tizzle]

I have heard the slower feathering chicks could be roosters, the 2 looked identical as chicks when they were picked out of their chick bin full of Black Stars. I will get some pictures to upload, it will have to wait until Monday since there is no internet at home.
Is there anything I can look for to see if maybe it is a rooster? (A white spot was mentioned)

RT

 

[Menmyrc]

In my order of BOs, one was a runt and kind of slow to develop, and another was very slow to develop. The runt is finally, at 8 weeks, fully feathered, but still has a much shorter tail than the rest of the roos (we know he is a roo) and is still noticeably smaller. The other, again a roo, is normal sized, but he still is not completely feathered. He has the feathers down the middle of his back, but he is still fuzz on his hips and sides. They are healthy, energetic, eat well, normally behaved, etc. They won't be allowed to procreate, but otherwise they are nice healthy chicks.

 

[R-Tizzle]

All seems well with my slower developing chicken (a.k.a. Pink Toe) Very active, very hungry and playing just like the others.
Here are some pictures, they are a week and a half older now.