Marmite has had a feather sticking out at right angles for about a week. A few times I have tweaked it to see if it is loose. Then I picked her up and gave it a bit of a tug. It’s not loose, it is firmly, attached.
Then I picked her up and attempted to push the feather back in place. I put her down on the patio area and she shook herself and the feather popped back out again.
Marmite has finished moulting and this feather isn’t loose. I can only assume that one of the girls has grabbed her by the feather and it has got twisted.
It doesn’t look great but it’s not bothering her. I don’t feel as if I can pull it out as that seems cruel and she might not be so happy around me if I did that to her.
Has anyone else experienced this and would you pull it out or leave it be?
In other news a few of the girls are looking in the nest boxes so there may be more eggs soon. Sugar will go in the nest box and peck at the shavings.
Flame, Spangle and Salmon have all been looking in the nest box too. Even Marmite briefly had a look and so did Speckles but that probably doesn’t mean anything.
It’s definitely a sign of spring though and more eggs to come soon.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
I wouldn’t pull it out if it’s still well attached but if the shaft is broken I might consider cutting it off.
It did cross my mind that maybe I could trim it down a bit. I will leave it a bit longer and think about it a bit more. Trimming it might be the way to go because if I do nothing it could be like this until the end of the year. I think I will pick her up again and try to get a closer look.
I think it will soon fall out when it is ready. Nice to know lots of eggs on the way.
Maybe I should just let nature take it’s course and leave it to fall out.
P.S. I have just been up to the girls and Marmite’s feather has gone. Problem solved. Typical that I put this post out and then it resolves itself. I see no sign of the feather at the moment.
Pleased the situation has resolved itself.
Me too. What would you have recommended? I was wondering what you would say as you have so much experience. I was waiting to see if you had advice when it seemed to solve itself. Funny that after keeping chickens for so long this hadn’t occurred in my flock before as usually any feathers like this occur during moulting and will always fall out sooner or later.