How Do....

                                        .............  feathers grow??

(from  Avian Aqua Miser)

Unlike hair, full-formed feathers can't grow.  Instead, new feathers develop inside pointy sheaths (at which point they are commonly called pin feathers) a bit like a chicken develops inside an egg.  When the sheath comes off, the feather will never grow again.

I start to notice pin feathers on our birds about a week after feathers on the ground signal the onset of our chicken's annual molt.  In fact, the pin feathers were present all along, and their growth is what pushed last year's feathers out of the way.

The photo to the right snows some pin feathers on one of our hens' backs.  Younger pin feathers near the top of the picture are still developing, but once the feathers are fully formed, the tops of the sheaths turn white and begin to flake off.  At the bottom of the photo, you can see pin feathers with the new feather sticking out the top --- within a few days, these feathers will be disinterred and will start making our flock look spiffy again.

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The first time I saw new feathers come in on Ethel, I was totally fascinated by them as it is something you really never think about. A feather is a feather. But watching them grow in is really amazing to watch day by day. They do look like the above picture, but what you can't see is that each and every one looks just like a miniature paint brush!

The Parts of a Feather

Birds of a Feather

Only birds grow feathers.	Most birds molt each summer and grow replacement feathers.	The exposed base of the shaft is the calamus, or quill
The downy vanes insulate the bird from cold weather.			The tapering shaft has a flexible vane on either side.
Birds have 6 common types of feathers: contour, semiplume, filoplume, down, power down, and bristle feathers.			The bird can simply pass its bill through the feather to link the barbules again.
Tiny hooks zip the soft barbules together to create a smooth surface.	The tip of the feather is unique for each of the 6 types.	Feathers help with flight, heat conservation, waterproofing, camouflage and display.

Courtesy of: www.backyardnature.com

Just some interesting facts I thought you would enjoy knowing about!