What's With My 5-week Old Chick?

[Sonya9]

"As gentle and friendly birds they make a fantastic bird for beginners as they are low maintenance hens and they are pretty fast to mature; with the exception of the speckled variety which matures slowly. " https://www.thehappychickencoop.com/sussex-chicken/

Must be a breed thing. I once bought a couple of heritage Rhode Island Red chicks and they were incredibly slow to mature, they were over 8 weeks old before their feathers started coming in, it actually became a bit of a problem for the broody raising them as she couldn't understand why 6-8 week old chicks couldn't fly onto roosts and such.

 

[Coop Z-ville]

"As gentle and friendly birds they make a fantastic bird for beginners as they are low maintenance hens and they are pretty fast to mature; with the exception of the speckled variety which matures slowly. " https://www.thehappychickencoop.com/sussex-chicken/

Must be a breed thing. I once bought a couple of heritage Rhode Island Red chicks and they were incredibly slow to mature, they were over 8 weeks old before their feathers started coming in, it actually became a bit of a problem for the broody raising them as she couldn't understand why 6-8 week old chicks couldn't fly onto roosts and such.

Thanks-that is probably what it is. She is my only Speckled Sussex. I love their coloring-the feathers she has coming in are a beautiful pattern. I guess I will just have to be patient until she gets through this gawky stage!

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

It’s like the story of the ugly duckling. When she grows up and has all her feathers she will be the most beautiful of them all.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Here are some pictures-not very good, as she is constantly moving! I think the funniest things she has going right now are no tail feathers, a crazy half-feathered neck, and all the baby fuzz sticking out between her feathers.

It's good that she's constantly moving!
LOL She does have lovely colors. Give her some time, some are slow to feather it seems.
Keep us updated on how she's doing, I'll be interested to see what she looks like in another month.

 

[Vickischics]

Ok so maybe my experience will help solve your problem. I was watching my chickens dustbathing in my flower beds. My cat snuck around the corner and scared my birds from their dust bath. Mean while the girls bolted up and shook off the dirt. But the rooster stumbled around. Like he was drunk. I seriously thought he was going to just roll over and kick the bucket right there. So I'm trying to catch him, while he is sorta stumbling from me still. Then he stopped and shook his excess dirt off from his bath. Then proceeded to dart off like nothing happened... no more stumbling. I kept and eye on him for like a week. No signs of disorientation or anything out of the normal. It wasn't until a week later, my hen did the same thing after a dust bath. Again after a few mins. She shook the extra dirt off and was back to herself. The only thing I could figure out. The extra weight from the dirt wasn't distributed evenly. Causing them to be slightly off balance. Hope that helps!

That's a funny story. lol

 

[IttyBittyBirdy]

Speckled Sussex do mature slowly, glad you got it figured out. She's gonna be gorgeous.

 

[Coop Z-ville]

Thanks for all you help and advice. My husband keeps telling me he thinks she's going to be the prettiest one of all!

 

[The Happster]

She's pretty. These birds like to scare us.

Speckled sexy do mature slowly, glad you got it figured out. She's gonna be gorgeous.

Correct me if I'm wrong....but I think you meant to say Speckled Sussex.
Rofl.

 

[IttyBittyBirdy]

She's pretty. These birds like to scare us.


Correct me if I'm wrong....but I think you meant to say Speckled Sussex.
Rofl.

I did?

E: I apparently did not say Sussex.

 

[Coop Z-ville]

It's good that she's constantly moving!
LOL She does have lovely colors. Give her some time, some are slow to feather it seems.
Keep us updated on how she's doing, I'll be interested to see what she looks like in another month.

Just an update (it's been longer than a month!):
Ginger is doing great now at 24 weeks-and she laid her first egg today. Here are pictures of her last week, and a picture of her first "baby egg" next to one of the eggs laid by my 2 year old Easter Egger.