Slowest feathering EVER!

[Kiraeh]

Guess how old this chick is:

nine weeks!

Here are a couple of his same age hatchmates.

Now they're all bantams, but still, wow. He's growing fine, healthy and active, just the feathers aren't keeping up at all! They get quality high protein feed. I've heard that barring is associated with slow feathering, is this just normal? He was raised by a broody who abandoned the chicks at three weeks so that didn't help but the poor lad is sooo naked.

 

[nuthatched]

I've never had a barred bird feather slower than others. Could they be picking him?

 

[Mosey2003]

That is 100% normal for a non-hatchery Barred Rock cockerel They really DO feather slower when you're breeding for those crisp bars. He will catch up in time.

 

[Kiraeh]

He's from eggs shipped from a breeder, and I only got his two parents from the hatch, so I'm very pleased to hear that this is indeed a sign of quality!
I broodered his parents and didn't have same age chicks to compare to, so I didn't notice so much with them.

 

[Kiraeh]

Here are the parents- they are absolutely perfect tiny chickens.

 

[Mosey2003]

Very nice