What's wrong with my chicks?

[Cori3]

Please someone tell me if this is what a 2 and a half week old baby chick is suppose to look like? I have 8 white polish crested bantams and one silkie all the same age. I treated them for lice, but I have not seen one bug of any sort on them. I am new too this and love my chicks, please someone tell me what to do! The silkies legs look like my polishes heads.

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[lazy gardener]

I would not treat chickens for lice, unless I saw lice. Silkies are supposed to have feathers on their legs. Before they get their adult plumage, they will look pretty ratty. Enjoy the wild look!

 

[Cori3]

I would not treat chickens for lice, unless I saw lice.  Silkies are supposed to have feathers on their legs.  Before they get their adult plumage, they will look pretty ratty.  Enjoy the wild look!

 

[Cori3]

Thank you for replying!!! So is the way the feathers look like toothpicks normal? The silkie had normal feathers on her legs when I got her, now they look like toothpicks too!! So should I not worry?

 

[firedragon1982]

Those are pin feathers, the feathers emerge from them as they get longer.

Edit to add: This is the first juvenile molt, they go through 2 before they look like adults. I just learned this myself my 3-4 week olds are looking ratty too as the feathers grow in.

 

[Cori3]

So I should not worry. All the other 2 to 3 week old chicks look so pretty! Then I look at my little chicks:/

 

[firedragon1982]

This is how my ameraucana's are feathering out, and they're 3 weeks old. This one's neck is pretty much pin feathers like your babies head right now. He's so bizzare with the mix of down and pins and actual feathers.

 

[lazy gardener]

Believe me, they will look MUCH worse before they start looking better. And, those pin feathers are itchy, so don't go running for the chemicals when you see your chickens scratching their many itches!