What happened to his tail?

[heathersboers]

I just bought this FBCM cockeral- and his tail is now growing back- Could the other chickens have took it off-or could he have lost them for some odd reason? I just thought it was wierd. None of my other chickens have ever done that- they dont appear to be broken or chopped off..???

What do you think of him besides the abscense of his booty feathers?

 

[ginbart]

Was he like that when you got him or did it happen after?

Is he in with new chickens?

Could he have been moltings before you got him?

Sorry for the questions but maybe it will help with answers.

 

[heathersboers]

I bought him a week ago and he was like that- he was with other chickens- about 40 different ones. Not sure if he was molting, but his other feathers look fine.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Looks to me like he's coming back from a molt. Tail feathers take quite a while to come back in.

 

[chicnfarmer]

it wouldn't hurt to check him for lice. I had a rooster lose sickle feathers and when I checked he was pretty infested. My roo was born that spring, so I doubt it was a molt. (but you checked him before adding him to your flock, right?)

 

[heathersboers]

I dont see any lice- He may be coming out of a molt- I was told he was 10-11 months old-Isnt that young for a molt?

 

[Illia]

Nice cockerel.

No, it isn't too young for a molt. Not at all.

Looks like either an animal or other hens/roosters pulled them out. I had one just like that, but younger:

However his tail eventually grow back before even molting. (still has no sickles though)

 

[Judy]

There's a mini molt around 9 months. How many feathers they lose varies. And they don't always molt when the literature says they should, IME.