Correcting Faulty Feather Quality

Bad care can ruin a good chick 

One of the first things I notice on a bird is its feathers. Are they clean, healthy, and delightfully formed and above all do the color and markings jump out and say, I’m beautiful! Look at me? Feathers and their quality can make or break a bird. Faulty feather quality can be attributed to filthy living quarters, over crowding, lack of proper nourishment, poor breeding and anything else that hinders the progress of feather development. Don’t get me wrong, good care will not convert a poorly bred bird into a champion, but the lack of proper care will pretty much ruin the finest chick ever bred. Skimping on feed quantity and quality and lack of clean water can be the main culprits. Overcrowding causes birds to pick on each other and we all know about pecking order, as it is rightfully called.

1.                Texture: Plumage must also have the proper texture called for in each specific breed. This characteristic of the feathers may also differ in different breeders lines.  A certain amount of hardness of feather is necessary if a smooth surface is to be obtained. A loose, abundantly feathered bird has a softer, fluffier appearance in its feathering. If a smooth surface is what you desire, make sure and select a cock, with lustrous plumage and whose breast feathers are hard and smooth. Breed him to a hen with that is fluffy and well cushioned.

2.                Shape: Each feather has to have the correct shape for the specific area of the body it is on and must be inspected to see that each individual feather is tightly joined together all the way to the edge. A cock should also carry a large amount of webbed feathers in the fluff of his body (Of course this does not apply to Silkies or other similar feather types). Roosters can be poorly shaped due to not having the proper plumage. The back may be flat because the plumage of the saddle does not build up a concave sweep to tail. I also would recommend breeding him to a fully feathered cushiony female to alleviate this problem. High tail feathers in the male may be corrected by breeding from low tailed females with well spread main tail feathers. 

Important details to remember in selecting birds for breeding good feather quality...

• Some feather defects may be bred out by breeding to a bird with the opposite that you desire 
• Heavy culling for the best birds
• Selecting good breeding stock from the start
• Carefully researching the breeder before you buy
• Visiting poultry shows and buying from winners
• Last but not least take good care of your birds