8 Month old Orpington looks ragged

[Don B]

One of my hens looks like she has been dragged through mud puddles, and she is acting strange. Her backside feathers look like she could use a good bath, and all over she just looks greasy-dirty, as if she is not preening at all. All other 14 in the flock are fine. This one is also hiding a lot more than usual, is timid, but she still wanders around and is eating and drinking and going in and out of the coop just fine. Should I quarantine her? Give her a bath? Just leave her alone? It is possible that one of my dogs may have played with her. I have found on occasion that they will trap a hen between their paws and lick on them (..tastes like chicken?) until they get all sloppy looking, but after drying out they are just fine. This hen has looked like this for 2 days. Is there a condition that makes one stop preening?

 

[thechickman04]

i have two buff hens that are doing this as well. Does it look like grease on their back? Mine are acting fine but it just wont dry up.

 

[Don B]

That's right, greasy-dirty looking. If she is still like that tomorrow, I will take a picture and post. Mine are buff orpingtons.

 

[thechickman04]

yea soo are mine how old are they? I just thought mine slept under the rosting post until i caught them and looked closer.

 

[MRW]

I have orps too about the same age are yours losing their feathers like mine? I'm pretty sure mine are molting, and besides that they are going broody, keep sitting in thenesting box. Do your have access to a dust bath? When we let our out they will go and dig in the dirt to bury/clean? themselves. Their combs also don't look too healthy.....

 

[Yogiman]

I've been reading your thread with interest. Had the same thing happen to me last month. I've got 11 buff orp pullets that are 11 months old now. First one started looking ragged and then another. I started to get concerned. I started doing some research. I free pasture them. I was feeding laying pellets and corn chops. I think I over did it with the chops because they started picking and eating feathers. Diet deficiency!

I ordered a general purpose wormer and a feed supplement. I stopped feeding the chops. Today they are looking fine and acting like they should.

 

[MRW]

What are corn chops? We have been giving ours cracked corn as scratch, but i"ve never heard of chops?

 

[Yogiman]

Cracked corn and corn chops are one in the same. It's a terminology thing. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[MRW]

Hey , That's ok , so maybe I'm giving them too many cracked corn treats and they're not eating enough of their layer pellets which are more nutritious? Thanks

 

[Don B]

OK, the diet deficiency thing might be the answer. I have been free-ranging them for a few weeks straight, and they eat very little of the feed in the coop when they are out. I have been giving some scratch grains as a treat, but not a lot. It sounds like they might just need a few days of the pellets. I will start that today and let you all know what happens!
Thanks a million!