Why would a chick ...... STILL need answers PLEASE!!!!

[Guitartists]

Why would a chick start growing leg feathers NOW instead of hatching with them???????

Well, I bought a Mahogany Faverolle chick at a swap.... noticed afterwards that she had clean legs... oh, and I think maybe she is sport colored... I dunno

LOL Anyhow...... I noticed today that she has little feathers sprouting on her legs!

Few and far in between, but growing there none the less

Is this common? I was under the impression that feather legged chickens hatch that way right from the get-go. Does it vary by breed? Is this a sign that she has other breeds in her bloodlines? What do you guys think?

Here she is...... you can't see the feathers I don't think.... this is from a few days ago and I JUST noticed the feathers today.

 

[EweSheep]

I dont see her fifth toe on her right foot, is it there?

They should have feathered foots, but not Cochin style or heavily feathered. Very much like a Cochin.

Sometimes they get broken off or leg mites would explain the absence of leg feathers.

 

[Guitartists]

Yes, she has 5 toes on each foot. She was 2 weeks old when I bought her.... no mites or lice. There were 4 nice chicks. I bought just her. All had 5 toes, etc.

The feathers coming in on her legs are soooo small

Example... my d'Uccle has always had feathers on her legs and feet, but recently the next toe over has started to grow some small sparse feathering. It's like that..... like it finally decided to grow in. There's a straight line of about 4 tiny feathers on each leg..... starting up high and going down. Nothing so far on her feet. Are they supposed to have feathered feet? Or just legs?

 

[NYREDS]

Not a Faverolle, sorry.
Yes, leg feathers do break off but not that cleanly & as far as I know leg mites don't make a feather legged bird appear clean legged.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Favorelles hatch with feathered legs.

 

[Guitartists]

So, why is she growing feathers now??? Someone had mentioned they had what they thought was a BR... but then it got feathered legs... now they're figuring it is a Cochin.

Just wondering what would make a chicken grow feathers on it's legs so long after hatching..... is it just a slow featherer, or is it something else???

Her legs started out bare... but she IS getting feathers on them now. She's 4-5 weeks I think.

edited to add... I don;t care whether or not she is a full blooded Faverolle or whether or not she meets the standard..... I just need to know why she would start growing leg feathers NOW instead of having them when she hatched.... which, I dunno, I wasn't there... so maybe she did????? But I'm guessing they are just starting now.