Poopy rear

Hi All. My Sussex White has a poopy rear. Vent looks clear, no prolapse. Eating well and behaving normally except that she prefers to nestle on the floor of the coop at night instead of roosting on a perch. She has also lost a line of feathers along her breast bone.
I haven't washed her, wasn't sure if that was the right thing to do. Thanks.

Hi

I would get her soaked and cleaned up as soon as possible. Once she is clean you can examine so much better to see what is going on there. She will also feel better once you have done this. Some of those very caked up feathers may need to trimmed up. I would advise that you start putting her on the perch on a night. Have you tried a lower perch for her? She may be struggling to get up on a high one if that's what you have.

Check out this article too ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/vent-gleet-aka-nasty-chicken-butt

Good luck with her, I'm sure she will feel so much better when she is cleaned up.

Age,coop space, crowding, and pecking could all be reasons for sleeping off the roosts. When I first got mine I learned very quickly 2 3ft bars were enough for 2 7 week olds 3 almost full grown pullets and 1 hen. We added a 6 foot bar above and that almost solved the issues 3 of 6 were on the bars. But the younger 2 and 1 that took over mothering stayed on the floor. After about another 4 weeks the older pullet finally found a place on the roost but it still to the younger 2 till about 14 weeks of age to find thier own place.


There were at least a few nights I just stood there and watched to see what each did. It wasn't the younger 2s lack of trying, it really was the older ones lack of giving. I probably should have just put in yet another roosting bar, and may still have to since we got some chicks. But mine eventually fought for their right to space and everything balanced out. I would say try to find out why she sleeps on the floor first and maybe add another bar to give them all more room. I read somewhere roosts should be 2 ft per bird though they will tend to huddle to one side. That alone could solve most of the issues

Thank you for the advice Yorkshire Coop and sawilliams. I'll wash her today and see if there's a problem and fit another bar in, space could be an issue.