What is this ugly thing?

[AA Maple]

I bought the "hatchery surprise" from Cackle Hatchery mid April, wound up with 50 chicks, 2 turkeys, and 1 duck. Turkeys didn't make it, duck seems happy enough to flock up with the chickens, I gave half the chicks to my neighbor and kept half. Nice looking assortment anyway but this one little fella is really odd. He/she has no feathers on his back or top of the wings and a big feather that sticks out from its thigh. Is this an actual breed or some sort of freak? The funny looking one by the duck. As you can see everyone else feathered out fully a week or so ago.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I bought the "hatchery surprise" from Cackle Hatchery mid April, wound up with 50 chicks, 2 turkeys, and 1 duck. Turkeys didn't make it, duck seems happy enough to flock up with the chickens, I gave half the chicks to my neighbor and kept half. Nice looking assortment anyway but this one little fella is really odd. He/she has no feathers on his back or top of the wings and a big feather that sticks out from its thigh. Is this an actual breed or some sort of freak? The funny looking one by the duck. As you can see everyone else feathered out fully a week or so ago.
View attachment 2164221

Looks like a Silver Laced Cochin who is lacking protein for proper feather growth.

 

[AA Maple]

Looks like a Silver Laced Cochin who is lacking protein for proper feather growth.

It does look like one in the face, but why would it be protein shy? He's eating the same grower as everyone else in the yard who are doing fine, has opportunity to forage, and seems pretty high on the pecking order, it's one of the more aggressive birds in the bunch.

 

[MysteryChicken]

It does look like one in the face, but why would it be protein shy? He's eating the same grower as everyone else in the yard who are doing fine, has opportunity to forage, and seems pretty high on the pecking order, it's one of the more aggressive birds in the bunch.

View attachment 2164251

Some individual chickens require a bit more then the other's. Do you have any Mealworm treats, or Soldier Fly Larvae treats you can toss out for them to snack on?

 

[AA Maple]

Do you have any Mealworm treats, or Soldier Fly Larvae treats you can toss out for them to snack on?

No. The only treats they get are table scraps. I'm into these for under 2$ a bird + feed which I'm buying by the ton so really I'm not trying to make big investments here. If it were all of them I'd be over to the feed mill raising a stink but the other 20 layers + 18 ducks are doing fine, well, that one is going to have to sort himself out. The only treat I'd consider getting separate is for the Ruen who came with this lot. It always comes waddling along with the rest of them when I call them but doesn't seem to be at all interested in my typical table scraps and I sort of feel bad for it making the effort for no reward. I bought the other ducks to keep it company but I'm not sure if it'll decide to flock up with them when they're trained enough to roam the yard. (Duck doesn't seem to be interested in peas which is the common one I read about around here)

Anyway, thanks for your help. I'll try to update here on that bird's progress.

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

I wouldn't necessarily assume you're doing anything wrong that would cause slow feathering. Cochins are very slow to mature. I think it's just a time thing

 

[AA Maple]

Thought I'd update these baby pictures just for laughs. The mystery bird turned into a fairly good tempered rooster, and is the only surviving one. Two of the roos get a 12 gauge attitude adjustment after attacking me, one got the same for just being too rough on the girls, one went MIA and the other got driven off by the other roosters and is also MIA presumed dead.

Had a hell of a battle with coons last year, between me and the neighbor we trapped over 20 and I had a hawk this spring come help himself to a few chicken dinners.

Rouen seems completely uninterested in the white Pekins I bought for dual purpose and in the hope he could find a girlfriend. He also doesn't seem to care much for water or swimming and will often act as enforcer for whichever rooster is the cock of the walk. He absolutely beat the brakes off of this rooster in the pictures one day, mostly they get along well though and he comes when I call "here chickie" which isn't too shabby.

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

Thanks for the update! He feathered out quite nicely