Unusual Feathers?

[Emmasmom]

Hi, I have two 8.5wk old Australorp chicks. One has different looking feathers - at least it's very different from other chicks I've raised. Has anyone seen this pattern before? Is it unusual? Thanks!

 

[3riverschick]

Storied old-time poultryman Frank Heck says twisted feathers are a freak of nature. Or, if the frizzle gene appears in the breed, see: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3400578/
Best,
Karen

 

[Ridgerunner]

Did you perhaps worm them with fenbendazole, sometimes sold as Safeguard? At that age they go through a juvenile molt and fenbendazole can cause the feathers to grow back curly.

 

[3riverschick]

Quote: -------------------
Fascinating, Thanks, Ridgerunner! By chance does it do the same thing to dog hair?
Best,
Karen

 

[Ridgerunner]

-------------------
 Fascinating, Thanks, Ridgerunner! By chance does it do the same thing to dog hair?
 Best,
 Karen

Not that I know of.

 

[Emmasmom]

Thanks for the responses! No I have not wormed them.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

It could be one of those freakish things. One of my young birds somehow got caught up in our chainlink fence and came out looking like that for a while. Mites will also cause those scraggly looking feathers, have you noticed any mites? If not, I'd chalk it up to some accident or genetic abnormality and not worry too much. Maybe when it moults again it'll feather out the way it should. It looks like my brother when he first gets out of bed

 

[Emmasmom]

Lol, she does look a little like she woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I have not noticed any mites. I've had them since they were about a week old and her feathers have always been that way. If she doesn't molt out of them she ought to be a pretty interesting looking chicken.