# 2 week old chicken not growing feathers



## Irina Penanen

I have 15 16-day-old pullets, and most of them have grown long wing feathers and are beginning to grow body and tail feathers. One chicken however has short wings and no sign of other feathers coming in. Her comb and wattle are on par with the others and she loves flapping up to perches, pecking at stuff, and eating as much as the next chicken. She seems a bit smaller, but not much- it could just be that the others' wings make them seem larger. Is something wrong with her?


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## robin416

From the angle of that shot that looks more like a little boy because the comb appears larger than the others. 

I wouldn't worry about it since everything else seems normal. Some are just slow. 

Love the side eye you were getting.


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## Irina Penanen

They're sex-linked so I really hope it's a girl...

The fact that only one out of 15 was anywhere near this slow was worrying me, I thought she might have worms or something and figured I ought to check.
The chicks have the cutest facial expressions : )


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## robin416

They're much too young to have worms. The worms have a specific life cycle so your peeps would have to be older and be outside to have them. 

I have nine Guinea keets right now. One is the same age but half the size of it's siblings. And they are siblings, I have both parents. Genetically something isn't right with this one and I do worry so I get why you're worrying.


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## Irina Penanen

You mentioned the guinea keet when I was asking about my red star that died, I'm glad to hear it's still alive at least. I hope my pulley grows feather soon though, I'm hoping to let them run around the coop for a bit once they're 3 weeks old.


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## robin416

If it's warm enough outside you can still let them outside even if not fully feathered. Here it's in the 90's plenty warm enough for fluffy behinds to be outdoors. 

Not saying it's doing great because it absolutely is not growing. It's fully feathered but wings are still bigger than it's little body.


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## Irina Penanen

One of my chicks has lots of feathers, her tail feathers are pretty significant and her wings go past her body, the little fluffball can't keep up with her own feathers. I hope your meet manages to pull off a bit more growth.


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## robin416

Sometimes I wonder why we do these things to ourselves.  But after a day with them I realize that even the days there are challenges still make having the birds in our lives so very worth it.


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## Irina Penanen

It is definitely worth it, I'm glad I have my chicks.


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## Sylie

If the chick in your hand is the chick in question, it is most likely a rooster. The comb is more defined, it rounds up, almost like standing up where the other girls are sloped toward the back of their heads. If it is a rooster, this is why it is maturing slower than the others. It is not uncommon and actually, you should expect it. He'll catch up in time. Nothing to worry about  You're doing just fine.


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## Irina Penanen

S/he seems to be eating and active, so I suppose I'll try not to worry. Though it would be really funny if the hatchery managed to give me a rooster despite them being sexed and a sex-link breed.


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## robin416

That screwing up by hatcheries seems to be happening a lot this year.


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## Sylie

Yep, hatcheries are doing a terrible job, I noticed it a little bit last year but this year it seems like they hired idiots to do their sexing.


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## Irina Penanen

I suppose they have a lot to do with Covid making it difficult for them and people (Including me I suppose) buying so many chickens. Can't say I would mind a rooster, we'll have plenty of eggs either way and I hear they can be sweethearts, though if it's a rooster it would need a crow collar. My chicken does have the characteristics of a female as far as feathers go, which might have led to a mishap if it is somehow a roo.


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## robin416

Didn't even think about the virus making things more complicated for the nurseries. 

Now you're going to have to make sure we know if it was a she or a he.


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## Irina Penanen

Would some more pictures help? maybe I can switch to the which gender is this forum as that seems to be the concern at this point.


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## robin416

I'd leave it here since this is where you started, that way there's continuity to the subject. A new pic in two weeks would be good.


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## Sylie

I have only one thing to say and it is a hot button for me....crow collars are inhumane and dangerous and should be outlawed. I had one at one point and my rooster died trying to get out of it before I could catch him and take it off, he did a jump flippy, flying thing right into the side of the coop and broke his neck.
I have a severe hatred of those things. I would never have used it had I realized just how inhumane it is. It restricts their breathing if you get it on "right", if you watch videos online, you may see some where the chicken is fine with it, I did, that's why I bought one but it was sponsored by the manufacturer so it stands to reason. I have seen other videos where they cannot move their necks correctly, it's not as flexible as they make it out to be. The chicken absolutely hates it, they walk around backwards trying to get out of it, they claw at it until their heads are raw. It's miserable for them and it was horrifying to watch for me. If you cannot tolerate a rooster crowing or there are laws against it, don't have one. It's not worth it.
I apologize for my rant but as I said at the beginning, this is a serious hot button for me.


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## Irina Penanen

I understand, it was difficult when a chick I had for two days died, and it must be so much worse with a fully grown bird dying of something like that. There are laws where I live, thankfully I know someone who can take a rooster if I end up with one. I'll have to see in a few weeks I suppose.


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## robin416

Sometimes stuff with these guys isn't easy. I think the thing to keep in mind, investigate anything you're not familiar with. There's a bunch of information out there that is detrimental to the birds but you'd never know it by the glowing comments made.


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## Irina Penanen

For sure, thanks for the info and advice.


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## Sylie

Exactly. Our birds cannot do the research themselves to find what is best for themselves, they depend on us to do what is best for them, not just what will make us happy. Thorough research is a necessity no matter what the topic is. 
I apologize if I came off harshly, I just really wanted you know how horrible they are and I guess I got carried away. I'm sorry.


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## Irina Penanen

It's useful info, I definitely don't want to risk hurting my bird if it ends up being a roo when I have a good alternative.


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## Sylie

I'm so glad to hear that, I'm actually smiling.


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## Irina Penanen

I'm glad I made you smile. Whichever gender, it's a good bird that has no control over the laws governing roosters where the person who happened to be its caretaker lives.


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## Sylie

Exactly! The powers that be are generally not bird keepers, at least, not here in my town. They just have a scant few "facts" about the particular birds and make laws to please the snobby, stick up their butts folks that don't want to be bothered with anything.


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## Irina Penanen

I don't think my coop is near any houses nearby and I don't see how a rooster would be any worse than the parrots in the area.


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## robin416

Parrots? Really? At least a rooster doesn't crow non stop. Parrots are almost never quiet.


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## Irina Penanen

Some escaped and spread, they're everywhere. And they are really loud.


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## Sylie

I doubt a rooster would be louder than than a bunch of parrots. You would need to check the laws about how far from the neighbor houses you have to be and all of that business. Honestly, in a lot of areas, unless the neighbors complain, the law just doesn't even bother. Around here they don't. We have a dog barking law but we have several people just on our block that have dogs that bark constantly and nothing is ever done about it. There is also a guy near my husband's work that has a rooster and they never do anything about that either. I'm not encouraging you to break the law by any means, but if you had a rooster and it crowed and the neighbors didn't mind...*ahem* again, not encouraging you to break the law lol


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## Irina Penanen

Of course  After all it was sold as a hen, and crowing is how you confirm for sure it's a roo, so if neighbors complain about crowing I can be like, "oh I thought they were all hens, I'll give it away soon." And if they don't complain I have a rooster friend.


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## robin416

I was thinking Sylie really really wants you to keep that little baby. 

Who knows, it might turn out OK if it is a boy.


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## Irina Penanen

I've certainly grown attached to all of them, and while I'm giving half to a friend (made an arrangement to raise them for both of us) I think I'll have to keep this one just to see how it turns out.


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## robin416

The little oddballs draw us in. Those are the ones we can't turn loose of.


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## Irina Penanen

Definitely. I've always paid more attention to the different ones, but they're all good loveable birds.


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## K10sal

Irina Penanen said:


> I'm glad I made you smile. Whichever gender, it's a good bird that has no control over the laws governing roosters where the person who happened to be its caretaker lives.


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## K10sal

I bought all my chooks as "sexed" pullets. I ended up with a roo. One of my Cochins. And the absolute favorite. We started off with 11...two of our Cochins died within 24 hours. My polish was my baby, and she died eventually after I nursed her with all of my might. While I live in a very rural area, I'm still considered in "the city," and I can't have a roo. I'm just waiting it out. If someone complains, I'll deal with it. If not, he's staying.


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## Irina Penanen

Aww, what a cutie!


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## K10sal

Irina Penanen said:


> Aww, what a cutie!


He's very handsome and quite the comedian. As soon as he realized he was a roo, he hasn't shut up I read online that some Roos crow 12-15 times a day. He easily pulls off 12 in his first hour being out of the coop. Both of my neighbors love him and think he's so funny. But the neighbors behind me are really old and crotchety. So I'm just waiting.


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## Irina Penanen

I hope you get to keep him, he's such a fluffy boy


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## robin416

I see that here, even with woods all around the city has moved the perimeter so that encompasses homes that are more rural. But they don't have anything in place that roosters can't be kept.


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## Mouthpear

It is most likely a rooster. All of the roosters that I have had were late bloomers. The very first one I had was just like this one. Seemed like it was the runt and judging off the rest of them it looked ill. Then a few weeks later he blossomed into a big ole rooster.


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## Irina Penanen

Here's a couple of pictures, we moved them into the bottom part of the coop for the day and are only keeping them in their box at night for the next week or two.


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## robin416

That baby really is naked. Was there baby down there when you first got it?

I don't see any indication of feathers wanting to come in, there's a good chance it's always going to be featherless.


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## Irina Penanen

A few feathers are coming in, mostly on the legs and stripes in the front. I do hope the little one is okay though. There's a chick in my earlier pictures and videos with short wings- it might be this chick.


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## robin416

There is some genetic thing going on there behind the scenes.


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## Irina Penanen

Given that it is growing feathers, although a week and a half behind the others, will it likely end up growing normally?


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## robin416

From the pics it looks like it's keeping pace with them as far as growth goes. 

I need to holler at someone to make sure he sees this, he might have more insight into this.


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## Sylie

He looks okay to me, give him another week or two, He'll probably catch up. Pretty normal for a roo


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## Irina Penanen

So almost definitely a roo?


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## Poultry Judge

Probably genetic, not much to do except monitor. Even though it's late, she could check the wing feathers, looks like a roo and might catch up.


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## Sylie

Irina Penanen said:


> So almost definitely a roo?


Most likely yes, They can fool us though, he/she may just be slow to develop, I really don't see anything wrong, just a little behind in developing, i'm sure it's fine. Like people, we don't all develop at the same rate, these things are estimations.


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## Irina Penanen

Some more pictures, they're 6 weeks now. The small one's wings are longer and it has head feathers, front feathers, and leg feathers but the tail feathers are barely there and its back and behind are still just covered in down.


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## robin416

That little bird is a hoot. It almost looks like it has hair in those spots where there are no feathers. 

This has to be a genetic thing with that one. It may never have feathers in those bare areas.


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## Irina Penanen

That's probably it, the chook is otherwise in good health. It seems like it'll feather out a bit more but have down in most places it doesn't have feathers by now. Given that it's generally healthy and growing, I hope I'm correct that it'll survive with her flockmates and my area's warm weather.


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## robin416

It should be fine if everything else appears normal.

I've got a Guinea keet that is smaller than a quail right now and it's three months old. I didn't think it was going to live but like I said, it's three months old. It got wing feather but still had down on the body. Now it does have feathers weeks after its sibs. Baby's issues are genetic.

I'd love to see what it looks like as a big bird. You know, this is probably how they developed birds like naked necks and there are some birds that have no feathers at all.


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## Irina Penanen

Funnily enough, my bird's neck is one of the places it has feathers. I'll probably post updates here every two weeks. It looks like my chick still has baby down but it's getting less concentrated as it grows, I'm curious to see if she'll lose it altogether or continue growing fluff.


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## robin416

That's an interesting thought. There's down there so the follicles must exist to produce the down.

I need to get someone else to weigh in on this who's been around birds a long time.

I was going to holler at Poultry Judge, he's the one that might have more insight.


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## Sylie

it's a rooster, his current feathering is normal, possibly a week or two behind even for a rooster but really, don't worry about it just yet, if he starts crowing and still does not have feathers in these areas, then worry. Roosters are notoriously slow to develop. I had 2 bantam roosters that didn't feather completely until they were 4 months old. Just give him time. Yes, he is a rooster lol, no doubt about it now.


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## Irina Penanen

Based on development or can you tell with his other features?


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## Sylie

Are you asking how I know it's a rooster?


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## Irina Penanen

Yes, sorry, I figured it might help me get better at identification in general.


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## Poultry Judge

I agree with Sylie, probably just slower to develop. Some strains of Roos are notorious for a "pastische" phase wherein their feathering doesn't match at all. Pastische refers to appearing like they are put together from different types of chickens and is generally a visual indicator of specific dominant and recessive traits.


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## Poultry Judge

His expression is like "Who me a Pastische? Maybe I'll be famous"


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## Poultry Judge

Very cute chicks!


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## Irina Penanen

They're all my little fluff nuggets  The roo is rocking the leg feathers and he knows it.


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## robin416

Irina Penanen said:


> They're all my little fluff nuggets  The roo is rocking the leg feathers and he knows it.


LOL


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## Sylie

Irina Penanen said:


> Yes, sorry, I figured it might help me get better at identification in general.


No need to apologize, that is what we're here for 

Signs of a rooster are: 
1.) comb is larger than the others and comes in way earlier than the girls. They also develop wattles earlier than pullets. Their comb and wattles will get red before the girls also.

2.) They are slower to develop than pullets

3.) Their legs tend to be thicker around than pullets but that's not a sign you should count on.

4.) The way he stands is very upright compared to the pullets, as if he's on the look out for danger. Pullets tend to stand in a more horizontal fashion.

5.) They tend to eat more than pullets (I can't tell that from the picture, I'm just listing it as a sign)

6.) As they grow and mature he will start to carry his wings lower than pullets. It is usually a sign that he is getting ready to start practicing his crow and the wings will continue to drop until he is a fully mature rooster.
Example: Notice in this picture (look closely, it's hard to see) the tip of his wing is pointing toward the ground behind him where the hen in the foreground has her wings pointing toward her bum.









7.) after he is mature he will develop sickles (the long curved tail feathers)

I hope this helped a little bit  I didn't mean to write a book haha


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## robin416

I'm glad you wrote the book. It was educational for me too. 

Maybe we should pin that somewhere to use for others and for me when I forget all of that information again.


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## Irina Penanen

Thanks, I'll definitely keep an eye out for more signs.


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## Irina Penanen

So- Black sex-link roos are supposed to be barred, but if this one has genetic weirdness with its feathers already who knows?


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## Sylie

I don't believe that he has any weirdness with his feathers. He's just a baby rooster. If those spots don't catch up by the time he's crowing, then we'll talk about weirdness lol.


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## Poultry Judge

Yes, please be patient, they go through "awkward" stages and the Roo that looks like the runt now may be cock of the walk next year.


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## Benjamin111

Thanks for sharing, I learned a lot of new knowledge.


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## Irina Penanen

Grey fluff and feathering weirdness aside, this chick is a sexlink unless the hatchery did an extra-mess-up.

Hens are black, usually with a green sheen and some gold/red feathering on their front.
Roos are black as chicks, but when their feathers come in they are barred and they grow up to look like messy barred rocks.

My chick has black wingtips with a green sheen, and what front feathers it has are black with a bit of gold lacing. The head feathers are black, while on most BSL roos they would normally be barred or silver. Its leg feathers are black, which could indicate either hen or roo.

So the possibilities are: The feathers that aren't growing in should be barred, and the feathers he has are just going to be black patches; it's a really slow feathering pullet; or this chook is an anomaly of some sort.

Sorry that was also a book and not nearly as useful as Sylie's


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## robin416

Hey, posts like yours helps me. Having raised Silkies I'm in the dark about most other breeds and how to ID them.


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## Irina Penanen

I guess it's a bit more difficult to find info on how they grow up than the sexlink characteristics at hatch, so I'm glad that was helpful. Upon further investigation, some roos have some brown/gold in addition to the black and white/silver, so the front feathers could be more ambiguous than I thought, but the head feathers are completely black which is more a hen thing.


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## robin416

Welcome to the confusing world of figuring out what is what when it comes to chickens. I took the simple route with the Silkies.


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## Poultry Judge

"I took the simple route with the Silkies." LOL Robin! Here in Ohio, Silkies and Eggers tend to be their own religions. I bet your birds have a lot of hidden genetic material which could show up as interesting markers in future generations!


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## robin416

Yeah, but I knew what I could and couldn't do when it came to pairing birds up. Plus most of my birds were white. Can't screw that up too much.


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## Irina Penanen

And here I was thinking sexlinks would be simple...
Silkies are absolutely adorable though!


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## robin416

They probably are but that doesn't mean you can't be thrown a curve ball once in a while. 

I don't have the pic on this computer but I've got a pic of a white Silkie that you would swear wasn't white. He looked more grey. What he was was a double silver gene white.


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## Sylie

Yours could also be a mix, very common in hatcheries. I would be surprised to find a 100% true, pure blooded anything come from a hatchery. Who knows. I've been wrong before, maybe it is a weird hen. I have a hen that crows, her comb and wattles are growing daily and she has stopped laying eggs after a year and a half of steady laying. (it's called spontaneous gender reversal) Weird things happen 
This hen has been known as Denala until this summer when she started her gender reversal, I now refer to her as Hester (hen + rooster hahahaha)

So my point is that right now, he appears to be a rooster in some aspects but it's possible he is not and will surprise us all. Give him time to grow into his own shoes and figure it out then


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## Poultry Judge

Well, that's how the best breeders do it Robin! And keep it simple on a pair by pair basis. You've got to have a good eye and a gut feeling for the markers you're looking for. With my OEG Earl of Derbys, I'm trying to recover an original white beak and foot gene which was purposely bred out in the U.S. a hundred and fifty years ago. So I'm hoping to stumble across that white genetic marker. I mean the whole thing is crazy, you have a one hundred and fifty year gap and the strain is listed as extinct. But there are three small flocks in the U.S. that I know of and two of us are poultry judges trying to get this bird back from the brink. I love the historical backward sleuthing of chicken genetics and I used to do okay at it in college. These days, I'll try to sketch out a genetic lineage on a sheet of paper as far as I can go but the pairings are much more by the gut.


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## robin416

Why would they do that? Some of the reasons for doing things with poultry and aiming for some non natural thing has always been beyond me. 

There were Silkies I saw that were so over bred for a particular feature they looked deformed. We won't mention how it affected their overall ability to live. That short back thing with the head touching the tail was just wrong on so many levels.

Could you do an outcrossing to another breed to start the process or will that get too messy to deal with?


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## Irina Penanen

Nine weeks old today, and the little one is catching up in feathering!

If it is a roo, the comb and wattles are still similar to the pullets, though.


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## robin416

You can see it's filling in though with all of those quills. 

Goes to show there's something new to learn every day.


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## Irina Penanen

Definitely a very late bloomer as the others are fully feathered but it seems the silly chicken will be fully feathered eventually. I have learned a lot about chickens in the last few weeks, thank you all!


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## Irina Penanen

Anyway does the slow-feathering chick look like a pullet or cockerel?


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## robin416

I'm still seeing down there. I hate to say girl and have it's development be so slow it still turns out to be a boy. But my knee jerk reaction was girl if I'm honest about it.


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## Irina Penanen

Yeah, the greener feathers, slow development, and the scraggly tail make me think roo as well but the comb/wattle point to hen. Also really skittish but not completely sure what that means or if I just didn't interact with the chick enough/correctly.


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## robin416

Boys can be more skittish than girls. My boys used to whine when I picked them up when they were still young. 

I'm staying away from declaring boy or girl for now. Just because I don't like being wrong. No, not really. I just am not sure at all with this little one since it's not following the program for maturing.


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## Poultry Judge

I agree with Robin, you really can't say for sure yet, this chick is in such an awkward feathering stage. The combs on my Pioneer Gingers look like that and are slow to develop.


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## Irina Penanen

That makes sense, I guess only time will tell.


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## Overmountain1

K10sal said:


> View attachment 34170
> 
> 
> He's very handsome and quite the comedian. As soon as he realized he was a roo, he hasn't shut up I read online that some Roos crow 12-15 times a day. He easily pulls off 12 in his first hour being out of the coop. Both of my neighbors love him and think he's so funny. But the neighbors behind me are really old and crotchety. So I'm just waiting.


ONLY 12-15?!? Ha!!!!! I can only assume they mean 12-15 sessions here... not trying to tell anyone off of Roos- bc the 2 I have we're both my 'baby' out of the groups we raised.... but honestly. My banty crows at least.... 50? Times a day?!? When something sets him off he has to let the whole world know, in every direction, usually more than once in each direction at that!  I truly am hoping once we add this last group with them he will calm somewhat- he only has one pullet with him at the moment. She should start laying anytime. Maybe.

However, on the flip side, my big boy crows very little, unless a stranger or a hawk appears- unfortunately there IS a nest not far from us so they pass by semi-frequently. I would guess that some days he crows maybe 2x, just a few times each, say 3-5?

Sorry, I just literally lol when I saw the number. They're all so very different, and I'm sure there IS an average, but for me that is blown out of the water. Some days it rly seems almost nonstop from my Chip. We will also be moving them back behind the house and down the hill just a bit and are hoping with less visible activity from neighbors and stuff too it will help him calm down. So; more hens? Check- marinating at the moment at 5 weeks. New locations? Check- gonna be building that over the next few weeks I think. 

Kk- hope everyone is having a good day!


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## robin416

I know someone is having a good day. LOL 

Individual birds will crow when it suits them. My d'Uccle roo waited until he got up on the covered porch and would go nuts crowing. Wasn't so bad unless we were sitting out there. Some of My Silkie roos and Dutch rarely crowed.


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## Irina Penanen

I wasn't able to catch it on video but the chicken that could be a roo stuck out their head and honked a few times yesterday. Not sure if it's a sign of crowing or somehow heat related (it got really hot). Brought them watermelon, and while the others are it that chicken just honked and sat down for a while.


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## robin416

Most first crows sounds like someone is strangling the bird. I don't think any of mine honked.


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## Irina Penanen

Okay, that makes sense. This particular chicken always stays behind when we food them treats, and I'm not sure if it's just scared of humans (very skittish, but will sometimes take treats from my hand if I offer them) or if it's waiting for the others to eat.


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## robin416

It could really be either one. It might be the low bird in the flock too.


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## Irina Penanen

That's quite possible given that the others are bigger.


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## robin416

Don't let size fool you, the littlest ones can be the most mighty. I had a dwarf Silkie, no one bossed her around.


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## Irina Penanen

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipNMZydQQltPPtv_-NMNsRYsKY3RPZChs5-F1E5Q
A video, is that a crow (at 20 seconds and 1:20) or did the poor bird just want to go back to the flock? The chicken always runs away from me and I thought I might take it to eat some of the flower petals there (my chickens love them).


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## robin416

The link doesn't open. 

Some breeds and some bird's personalities keep them always on high alert around us.


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## Irina Penanen

Alright, I'll see what I can to about the video. They can be really skittish, especially this one, which I think is supposed to be normal for their breed.


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## Irina Penanen

https://photos.app.goo.gl/YaCa3KMmP8Gt3d288, here's a cut version


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## robin416

Nope, it just says it will load soon. Can you put it on the forum?


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## Irina Penanen

robin416 said:


> Nope, it just says it will load soon. Can you put it on the forum?


How would I upload a video?


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## robin416

I don't do videos. Try the "Upload a File" button on the lower right.


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## Irina Penanen

I don't think it allows videos :/


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## Irina Penanen

Here we go, hopefully this works better


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## robin416

LOL She sounds like one of those that complain a lot. I've wondered if they're looking for something when they go on like that. 

Oh, and guess what? Your video worked. So upload a file is the way to go?


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## Irina Penanen

I carried her away from the flock, which probably explains that...
So it's just a complainey hen?
I used the embed a file feature to add it


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## robin416

OK, now what you were saying in the first post with the inop video makes sense. Yep, she wasn't happy being away from her flock. If you had brought another with her she might not have been so unhappy. 

Thanks, the embed is one of the things to use to upload a video. Can you tell? They don't teach us much of anything. It's click a button to see which one will work.


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## Irina Penanen

Took me a while lol but worked out. I'll bring a couple of flockmates next time, and maybe some treats


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## robin416

Irina Penanen said:


> Took me a while lol but worked out. I'll bring a couple of flockmates next time, and maybe some treats


Oh, oh. I clicked on something and can't get out of it. Oops.


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## Irina Penanen

Uh oh :/ was it a complainey hen noise or a crow?


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## robin416

LOL More like an alarm noise. I don't even remember what I clicked on. At least it's back to normal now or I'd be sunk. 

BTW, did your girl go back to her normal self when she went back to the flock?


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## Irina Penanen

She calmed down when I picked her up and when I brought her back to the flock. She doesn't like me but at least I'm familiar.


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## robin416

There are some that only like us when it comes to food. Imagine living with those personalities for 8 or 9 years. I had a couple like that. At least I can say they weren't boring.


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## Irina Penanen

Far from it, definitely.


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## Irina Penanen

So slow feathering chicken is the heaviest by our measurements today. I guess little birb decided to grow muscle instead of feathers.


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## robin416

Did you ever figure out what sex it was? I've lost track now.


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## Irina Penanen

I think the consensus was probably hen but it's hard to tell due to slow feather development. Comb and wattles are like the others, but the feathers are very green. Tail is growing in now, and the flock is currently enjoying some nice proteiny cottage cheese.


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## robin416

So, in other words, still not 100% certain. You're girl or boy shows how not all follow the rules.


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## Irina Penanen

In good news, they're almost 14 weeks old which means that I'll likely know by December if birb lays an egg. I'm guessing being relatively heavy/dense is generally a rooster thing, but most would crow by 13 weeks? This little one definitely doesn't want to be normal though, that's for sure.


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## Poultry Judge

LOL


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## Irina Penanen

Though I'd share an update, she's a big hen now and a good layer.


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## robin416

The absolute proof that an ugly duckling can turn into a beautiful swan. After all that craziness with her and keeping everyone guessing.


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## Irina Penanen

The hatchery managed to get her right, I'm lucky to have her even though her situation scared me for a good while. I've heard runts of all animals are often ugly ducklings but blossom given a bit of food and love.


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## robin416

She certainly blossomed.


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## Irina Penanen

She's a good bird


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## Poultry Judge

T


Irina Penanen said:


> I think the consensus was probably hen but it's hard to tell due to slow feather development. Comb and wattles are like the others, but the feathers are very green. Tail is growing in now, and the flock is currently enjoying some nice proteiny cottage cheese.


They certainly do love cottage cheese!


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## Poultry Judge

Irina Penanen said:


> The hatchery managed to get her right, I'm lucky to have her even though her situation scared me for a good while. I've heard runts of all animals are often ugly ducklings but blossom given a bit of food and love.


Tincture of Time!


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## Irina Penanen

I had to look up what tincture meant, it's a cool word!


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## robin416

I think you just aged us. LOL


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## Poultry Judge

Probably.


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## Poultry Judge

I feel pretty old lately.


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## Irina Penanen

Nobody's feeling their best, I guess it has to do with the fact that the world kinda stopped but people still age.


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## robin416

True that. Good thing we have the birds in our lives to keep us entertained and in my case with the Guineas, challenged.


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## Irina Penanen

What happened with the small keet?


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## robin416

Thanks for asking. He's good. He's grown quite a bit he's no longer the size of a bantam. Still blind in one eye and maybe not wrapped too tight.


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## Poultry Judge

Irina Penanen said:


> Nobody's feeling their best, I guess it has to do with the fact that the world kinda stopped but people still age.


It's just that 2020 was/is so bizarre.


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## Irina Penanen

I'm glad the lil guinea is alive and growing, Robin! Sounds like you're taking good care of him.


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## robin416

Making some adjustments for him has meant he's been able to do better than I thought he would.


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## Poultry Judge

Not wrapped too tight?


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## robin416

Definitely different from the others. Hard to describe it.


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## Poultry Judge

Must have been hanging out with some of mine.


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## Poultry Judge

Must have been hanging out with some of mine.


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