The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: langdon on July 22, 2010, 11:02:27 pm

Title: finding feathers
Post by: langdon on July 22, 2010, 11:02:27 pm

ive been keeping chucks for a year and a half but this has only made me question this now,
i allways find feathers around esp eddie my wellsummer cockerel, i do and just have finished worming them all, i do treat
for redmite and have just done so and the rest.
is this normal to find feathers daily.
im sure they arent moulting yet,its to earlt aint it?
thanks langdon :chook:

Title: Re: finding feathers
Post by: sam.t on July 23, 2010, 07:02:36 am

COULD THEY BE FROM HIS LADY FRIENDS WE HAVE ALOT OF FEATHERS ROUND WELLINGTON (OUR BRAHMA COCK) WHEN HE HAS BEEN ENTERTAINING HIS LADIES JUST A THOUGHT
SAM :chook:

Title: Re: finding feathers
Post by: Roxy on July 23, 2010, 04:49:56 pm

Feathers?  We have tons of them.  Just stand and watch your hens, you will soon see why.  Our cockerel races down the field, chases a hen, grabs it by the tail ....and yes, has a mouthful of feathers in his mouth, and usually a few more of the poor girls back.  But that may be that Derbyshire cockerels are a bit rough and ready, and your cockerel is more polite ;D

Title: Re: finding feathers
Post by: little blue on July 23, 2010, 06:45:48 pm

at our side of Derbyshire, the hen grabs the cockerel's tail feathers and pulls him around!
but that may be just Gladys and Lenin .... he does his stuff well enough with the less "fiesty" girlies!   :)

Title: Re: finding feathers
Post by: langdon on July 23, 2010, 07:03:07 pm

na, they are not from his ladies freinds i know by the colours, the girls are a light brown
and him been a wellsummer he has all different colours.
thanks for replying i hope it is just a normal thing :chook:
langdon

Title: Re: finding feathers
Post by: woodlandproductsfife on July 23, 2010, 08:09:01 pm

i thought that all feathered friends could drop feathers at anytime, for all diffrent reasons. maybe a little damaged or caught on something, but was waiting patiently for the replies. I love this place its just a hive of knowledge!

  Craig

Title: Re: finding feathers
Post by: CameronS on July 23, 2010, 09:36:32 pm

I think hens shed feathers as a defence mechanism (think lizards dropping tails),  mine seem to drop feathers but have no baldness,  prime example, the dog caught one, feathers came off and blew around, dog dropped bird and chased the feathers.

nothing untoward unless you start finding baldness and sores