muffs and beards

[cedarpondfarm]

At what age do the muff and beard feathers develop?  My pullets had fluffy downy muff and beard as tiny chicks.  Now they are 2 1/2 months old, nicely feathered every where else, but the muff and beard are not sprouting.  This is my first time with Ameraucanas, so was wondering when they will appear.

[Paul]

The chicks are 3 weeks old (April 27) not 2 1/2 months if they are the ones we sent.  They will grow muffs and beards with their true feathers.  Chicks go through a period, that makes them look as though they are cleaned faced, but if they have the fluffy puffs on their head as soon as they are dried off, they will have muffs and beards as young adults.

[cedarpondfarm]

they are not the ones I bought from you but from a local hatchery.  I have no doubt the black chicks you sent me will be very good quality, with feathers in all the right places.  These older pullets I\'m not so sure about.  Would you think that at 2 1/2 months, they should be showing muffs and beards if they are going to have them?

[John]

Would you think that at 2 1/2 months, they should be showing muffs and beards if they are going to have them?

I you could see muffs on them as day-old chicks they will have them, but they may not be \"pure\" for them.  If that is the case they will not be very full.  Also, some varieties have feathers that just don\'t fluff up as much as others and thier muffs won\'t appear as full.  With a combination of both of the above you could have birds with very small muffs.

[Guest]

Mine are adult birds and are missing all their muffs/beards.  They aren\'t missing anything anywhere else.  They just like to eat them.  So don\'t get too overly excited about the muffs/beards anyway.