Unsecure chicken perches

[Chortle Chook]

Does anyone know whether Frizzle chickens have more brittle feathers than others? I have two frizzle hens, one is a little supposedly 100%, Frizzle. The other is a Poland x and is about twice the size of the littleun and bigger than my Silkies. Both Frizzles have pink, featherless marks on their sides that I think are made by my Silkie cockerel when he treads them. The littleun is much worse than the big one but my small silkie hens do not seem to be showing any dammage.

 

Are these spots really sore (they are pink rather than red) and are they occurring because their feathers are brittle? Once out and about my cockerel does not seem particularly interested in the Frizzles though he could be treading them early in the morning while they are all still locked up in their house so should I separate the frizzles at night? I thought about separating my cockerel but wouldn't he be rather lonely?

 

Last question - if anyone separates some hens or a cockerel overnight from the rest of their flock what do you put them in?

 

Sorry for all the questions. I'm in a bit of a quandry

Edited July 5, 2011 by Guest

[Tweety]

I have quite a few Frizzles, and frizzled Pekins, including an active cockerel, but haven't had any problems with their feathers. I know that they shouldn't get wet, because they can't dry off in the same way that smooth feathered birds can, but I haven't heard anything about brittle feathers I 'm afraid.

I believe that it is quite common for cockerels to be separated from the flock at night, mainly to put them in a darker place to try to stop them crowing too early in the morning, so you could give it a try and see if it makes any difference to your girls' feathers. Good luck!

[keyhole kate]

I know exactly what you mean I will be as interested as you in any answers to the question of frizzle feathers being more brittle personally I am inclined to say yes I have a frizzle (cinderella) who looks oven ready partly due to her winter moult and that she carried on laying throughout I dont think she has been able to put the energy into re feathering the feathers she does have feel very dry and very co"Ooops, word censored!" in texture and comparison to any of my other girls she still has the remnants (quills) of wing feathers in place that look and feel like dry sticks. I currently have her separated as she is recovering from prolapse surgery and I am trying to simulate winter to stop her laying and to encourage her to re feather which is so far working. I also have top hen Valerie who is taking the top chook role too far and is treading and holding down my other girls by their necks I suspect poor little cinderella bareness was also in part due to being bullied in the same way by valerie who is a so a big difference in size and weight once cinderella has re feathered I intend put her back in with the flock but Sin Bin Valerie in the hope of breaking the treading habit if this dosen't work then she is off to a local school where my SonIL looks after the menagerie of animals including chickens I hope someone has some suggestions/advice re your cockerel I think if I were in your shoes I would be inclined to seperate him( rabbit hutch/dog crate/cat basket maybe ) at bed time and re intro him once they were all out and about on a trial basis at least to see whether it makes any difference to your frizzles feathers

[karlotta]

I've not noticed any problems with feathers specific to my Frizzle pekin, but then my girl Jolene is rather dignified and doesn't let Elvis (pekin cockerel) have his way very often!

 

I bring my boys in at night due to neighbours and they live in a dog crate with a black out lining over the top (only over the front as it's a bit warm at present!!).

[Chortle Chook]

Many thanks for your answers.

My OH is now building a little crate for my cockerel with a fairly light blackout to put over it so that he doesn't get too hot.

 

Keyhole Kate, when you say this

 

I know exactly what you mean . . . I have a frizzle (cinderella) who looks oven ready . . . the feathers she does have feel very dry and very co"Ooops, word censored!" in texture and comparison to any of my other girls she still has the remnants (quills) of wing feathers in place that look and feel like dry sticks.

 

That is exactly the way it is with my frizzles, particularly the littlun, Daisy.

 

How are you simulating winter?

 

I'd willingly give Daisy away if it would help her but I don't think anyone would want her in her current condition so I really have to work out some way of improving her condition without rehoming her.

[keyhole kate]

How are you simulating winter? I'd willingly give Daisy away if it would help her but I don't think anyone would want her in her current condition so I really have to work out some way of improving her condition without rehoming her.

 

Is Daisy still laying?

 

I currently have cinderella in a dog crate covered over with plastic which means she does not getting enough daylight hours to enable her to produce eggs this was recommended to me by Eglutyne and Claret when I posted for advice in a previous thread in the health section topic : re purse string suture, I am pleased to say it is working and she is starting to re feather nicely I have also been feeding her up with Scrambled eggs little bits of cheese and I have her on Lifeguard tonic in her water as I am sure she was underweight although I dont have another frizzle to compare with.

 

I had re homed her at six months old (Feb/11) and she was almost bald when I took her on she just never seemed to improve. She looked so bad that I was worried when I took her to the vets that they would think I hadn't been caring for her properly Thankfully they didn't comment ,not to mention I was prepared to pay £188 for her surgery and five day stay

 

I do believe that simulating winter by decreasing the light has made all the difference and that she is only using her mineral and nutritional reserves to re feather not lay and re feather at the same time. I have her placed against my WIR where the others can see her and she can see them in the hope of being to re intergrate her.

 

Perhaps you could try this with Daisy please keep me updated with her progress

apolgies for any typos I cant find my glasses

[Redwing]

If you breed a two frizzle feathered birds together you do get a proportion of perfectly firzzled birds but also some tatty feathered birds with very poor quality feathers

 

Lavender is a colour that doesnt frizzle well - something do do with the genetics

 

Two things to think about

 

I do think in general though frizzle feathered birds have it a bit harder as with their feathers sticking out all over the place they do tend to be damaged more than flat feathered birds

[keyhole kate]

If you breed a two frizzle feathered birds together you do get a proportion of perfectly firzzled birds but also some tatty feathered birds with very poor quality feathers

 

Lavender is a colour that doesnt frizzle well - something do do with the genetics

 

Two things to think about

 

I do think in general though frizzle feathered birds have it a bit harder as with their feathers sticking out all over the place they do tend to be damaged more than flat feathered birds

 

Thanks for the Info Redwing I know diddly about frizzles and what you describe makes perfect sense I was given cinderella and she was described as a Cinnamon Frizzle but as I have never seen another frizzle I have nothing to compare her to If I had to describe her feathers I would say they they all curled forward in the same direction and not as I imagined a frizzles feathers to be all over the place so she could be a bit of a dud so to speak she is very cute though

[Redwing]

Perfect show frizzles have curved feathers all curved towards the head so your little frizzle sounds spot on, other frizzles can have the good feathers but all over the place

[Chortle Chook]

My large Polish cross (Daphne) has feathers all curving forwards and is a smart girl. Daisy's are rather all over the place. Both are sweet girls, very friendly and lively but neither have ever laid a single egg or gone broody (and I've had them since last November). Daisy's 2nd home is almost ready, thanks to OH and I am feeding her extra protein (cottage cheese and meal worms in with her nomal food). I have fingers crossed. (I'll add some scrambled eggs too as recommended, thanks keyhole kate )