About 6 weeks ago, I rescued some millie fluer d'uccles (1 roo, 4 hens). They had been kept in a 3x3 wire rabbit cage and were being fed old roy dog food. All were missing some feathers, but one hen was missing 95% of her neck feathers and another was missing all of her tail feathers. I am not sure if the feather loss was from the close confinement, feather plucking or rough handling. In the time I have had them, they are acting less stressed, they are eating better (crumbles and veggies) and they are all feathering out nicely, except the hen missing her tail. Her body feathers are looking so much nicer, but so far there is no sign of her tail feathers growing back. Will it ever grow back?
have they possibly been broken? If they are broken they won't grow back til she molts. Then whats left of the broken feathers will fall out and new ones will grow in. Wanda
Even if the tailfeathers were pulled entirely out not just broken off, she might not regrow them for a while. Tail feathers seem to me to be slower to grow back than most others. They certainly *should* grow back eventually. Just no way of knowing the timetable. Do keep a close eye on her, though, for any signs that they are starting to grow back and then get pecked out by one of her colleagues, which is always another possibility. If you see the first little 'nose' of a pinfeather one day and then it's gone the next, it's probably picking, even if no blood is visible. Good luck, have fun, Pat
D'Uccles are beautiful, sweet birds. Kudos to you for rescuing this flock and giving them a better life!
