Two chicks feathers look strange

[CherylMSU]

Ok-first time poster, totally new to this. I have 12 chicks. There are about 3 months old right now. I have two Americanas, 5 Buffs and 5 Barred Rocks. I have separated two of the buffs out as they appeared to be smaller, but they also looked like their feathers were only partially coming in, for lack of a better term to use. Their feathers are not smooth like the others, but almost looks like they are missing some. I feared the others must have been picking on these two. So, they have been separated about two weeks, they are getting bigger, yet the feathers still don't look right? Does anyone know what could be the problem, or have they seen this before? Is it something to be concerned about? They are eating and drinking just fine and running around. Thanks!

 

[sonjab314]

Pics would help a lot. If they actually lost feathers it will take until they molt before the feathers come back in, which will be months down the line.

 

[CherylMSU]

I will take some pictures tonight.

 

[JanetS]

Pictures would help.....

 

[sophiaw00]

Not sure about the feathers but just thought I'd let you know that theres no such thing as an "Americana" chicken. There is an Ameracauna but its completely different. If you bought the chicks and it was spelled with an "i" instead of an "a" then it is not real and is most like an easter egger.


From the Chicken Chick website,
"While Ameraucanas are more common in the United States than Araucanas, they are available only through reputable breeders, regardless of advertisements by hatcheries and other large-scale, distribution sources. If you are in the market for Ameraucanas and see an advertisement for "Americanas," be forewarned: there is no such breed. There is no "I" in Ameraucana. The misleading spelling is usually intended to imply that that Easter Eggers are Ameraucanas, which is wrong on many levels."

Just thought I'd let you know just in case you didn't know

oh and btw, welcome to BYC, I'm new too!

 

[manychitlens]

Not sure about the feathers but just thought I'd let you know that theres no such thing as an "[COLOR=333333]Americana" chicken. There is an Ameracauna but its completely different. If you bought the chicks and it was spelled with an "i" instead of an "a" then it is not real and is most like an easter egger. [/COLOR]


[COLOR=333333]From the Chicken Chick website, [/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]"[/COLOR]While Ameraucanas are more common in the United States than Araucanas, they are available only through reputable breeders, regardless of advertisements by hatcheries and other large-scale, distribution sources. If you are in the market for Ameraucanas and see an advertisement for "Amer[COLOR=FF0000]i[/COLOR]canas," be forewarned: there is no such breed. There is no "I" in Ameraucana. The misleading spelling is usually intended to imply that that Easter Eggers are Ameraucanas, which is wrong on many levels."

Just thought I'd let you know just in case you didn't know 


oh and btw, welcome to BYC, I'm new too!

This is very true, but there is a hatchery now that sells true BBS Ameraucanas. Meyer's, I think. But they are $20+, not $3 or whatever the price is usually for EE (still not a bad price for a pure, vent sexed Ameraucana, IMO, if you didn't have a breeder nearby). I think that Chicken Chick article was written before they started offering them.

 

[sophiaw00]

This is very true, but there is a hatchery now that sells true BBS Ameraucanas. Meyer's, I think. But they are $20+, not $3 or whatever the price is usually for EE (still not a bad price for a pure, vent sexed Ameraucana, IMO, if you didn't have a breeder nearby).

I think that Chicken Chick article was written before they started offering them.

Thank for the updated info

 

[manychitlens]

Thank for the updated info 

Sure thing. You are definitely right though, so many stores and hatcheries call them Americanas (or some variation), which I find so misleading!

 

[sophiaw00]

I don't know why they aren't honest and call them Easter Eggers. When I was first getting chickens I was in the market for EE and nothing else. I wanted colorful eggs, and before I was educated that Americanas are Easter Eggers, I probably wouldn't have bought them unless they were labeled as Easter Eggers.

 

[manychitlens]

I totally agree, EE seem like great birds!! And I love that you don't know what color egg they will lay, it's like a fun surprise!!