Where's the tail feathers?

[tcal]

I have RIR's that I got from an Amish family. One doesn't have tail feathers like the rest and have not been plucked out. Does anybody know whats up with this girl?

 

[basicliving]

I have no idea - but she's really cute! If there is no damage, maybe she's just going to be a little stubby? She's adorable though.

Penny

 

[tcal]

thanks!

 

[SilverM0on]

lol very cute chicken
i know araucana have no tail cause they are rumples
maybe your chicken had one araucana grand mother
other then that i got no idea sry

 

[mypicklebird]

Sometimes they will molt in areas, but she looks so nice and smooth, she likely is not a pure RIR, or she is a 'sport' meaning she is a genetic anomaly. She just looks like a rumpless bird- meaning she has no tail feathers. If you want to get chicks from her, you may have trouble with fertility, as the rumpless aracaunas do sometimes.
She is very pretty. If you know the family well enough to call them--- you can ask if she was hatched there, or a hatchery chick- if hatched there, there may be a history of occasional rumpless birds- then that cements it being some sort of genetic oddity.