AND

GLOSSY, highly-colored plumage in chickens is a characteristic of a well-conditioned bird. Rough, split, faulty barred, or faded feathers, or the absence of feathers, is usually the outward evi-dence of faulty metabolism, injury, or a pathological condition, the exact cause of which is often unknown. It is a common belief that the best plumage is found on the chicken which is growing the most rapidly. However, results of experiments conducted at this station provide evidence to indicate that feather development does not always parallel rapidity of body growth. Wilcke and Hammond (1940) state tha