Curling Neck Feathers

[ShotgunDog]

I have a RIR flock, all of whom are about 18 months old, so they are coming up on their first annual molt. One of my girls, Freddie, has neck feathers that are suddenly curled. This image is fuzzy, but you should be able to see the odd curl the feathers are taking. Could this just be a precursor to her first molt, or something else? She just laid a normal egg and seems perfectly healthy. I did have one of my girls that went through a molt in the spring, but only her neck feathers. I THINK it was Freddie, but I'm not 100% positive on that (after that I put colored bands on my girls so that I could tell them apart definitely).

Thank you!

 

[coach723]

It's probably nothing to worry about. If you've checked her over well, nothing is amiss, it may just be genetics. I have seen feather changes after molt, sometimes they disappear at the next molt. The mysteries of molt. Or there may be some gene in the family tree that caused it, there are recessive genes that only show up occasionally. There may be some EE somewhere in the family tree, that is a common reason for neck tufts or curved feathers there. It's hard to say. Here is another thread with a similar issue:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/reason-for-feathers-curling.1135001/

 

[ShotgunDog]

It's probably nothing to worry about. If you've checked her over well, nothing is amiss, it may just be genetics. I have seen feather changes after molt, sometimes they disappear at the next molt. The mysteries of molt. Or there may be some gene in the family tree that caused it, there are recessive genes that only show up occasionally. There may be some EE somewhere in the family tree, that is a common reason for neck tufts or curved feathers there. It's hard to say. Here is another thread with a similar issue:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/reason-for-feathers-curling.1135001/

That is so helpful! Thank you so much! It came on so suddenly--last week, no curl. This week, curlilocks!

 

[MysteryChicken]

They have Malay Game in their heritage this is something that is seen in hard feathered breeds from time to time. Nothing to worry about. Just alittle throwback.

 

[ShotgunDog]

They have Malay Game in their heritage this is something that is seen in hard feathered breeds from time to time. Nothing to worry about. Just alittle throwback.

Thank you!!

 

[MysteryChicken]

Thank you!!

You're welcome.