++++Anyone have a chicken with a really poopy butt???

[keysfarmgirl]

Oh my gosh, how gross is this??!! This is my 9 month old Ameraucana (one of 2 I have) and she has the most disgusting poopy butt. The vent is clean, but the poop gets stuck in her butt feathers. We have washed her butt over and over, and it almost seems to get worse once we wash her. I thought about cutting the feathers but I don't know if that is good as feathers have feeling. Is this a normal problem? None of the other chickens have this problem, and in fact, I have never noticed this bad of a "cling-on" issue in any other chickens I have seen.
On a side note, I had posted a message a month ago because this hen is not laying eggs. She still is not laying, but sits on the nest. Is this normal behavior for a non-layer and do I just need to be patient for her to start laying? Is there such a thing as a hen that never lays eggs?
I think this hen is a little retarded (for real) because of how she acts. That butt sure is retarded, right?

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I wonder if these birds would benefit from some raw apple cider vinegar in their water and/or some plain yogurt with active cultures. Maybe it's something that's a little off-balanced in their digestive tract, and some additional beneficial bacteria would help.

I had a broody bantam who had nasty loose diarrhea while she was setting. I put a little ACV in her water dish and her poops got better soon after.

Remember to put ACV in PLASTIC or GLASS water dishes only, do NOT put them in galvanized metal waterers, the acid will eat it up. Sometimes I mix up a little of their layer feed with water in a plastic pan and add the ACV to that.

Someone else might know more precise amounts to give, I just add a capful or two to a gallon waterer. And the yogurt could be given as is, or mixed with feed, maybe even some applesauce. I give a pint container to a flock of 30, you could give less to fewer birds.

I don't think it would hurt to try these foods, and I hope it just might help! Please let us know if they work for your mudflaps!

 

[ChooksChick]

Betty, one of my BR has an issue. We started calling her MudFlap, but that's just mean.

I trimmed up her 'skirt' a few days ago, and it has made a huge difference, since the stiffer 'roots' of the feathers remaining aren't as subject to absorbing the falling poo.

I wonder if these birds don't hold more of an upright posture when...letting them fall, so to speak. It would account for the difference between their issue and others' lack thereof.

I'm certainly not interested in trimming out a buttnugget every few months, that's for sure! It did seem to be a product of the very rainy season we've had somehow- perhaps more water in the greens than usual combined with her upright...behavior.

I dunno. I'll keep trimming if I must.

 

[77horses]

Long soak!

Wowzah, now that's a throwback- a comment from 2009! Haha. I was like, I don't remember commenting on this...oh right because it was from 9 years ago! FYI for anyone who hasn't tried this yet: apple cider vinegar soak. It does wonders to clean gross underfluffies. Especially if one of your chooks gets fly strike (a real nightmare). ACV is truly lifesaving for flystrike.

 

[basicliving]

I wonder if the mess on her bum is not actually shell less eggs? I have had a couple that layed shell less eggs and they made a really big mess of the bum area. I can't tell by looking at the picture. But do you find that area looking a little wet? I washed mine off and it would feel a bit slimey.

Anyway, just a thought.

 

[keysfarmgirl]

I don't think it is an egg mess. What I see coming out and sticking to the existing mess is more poop. It isn't really slimey. I just wonder why certain chickens would have this problem. I don't think it's normal, but would love to hear if anyone else has had this issue with the poop.
Regarding the shell less egg, when she goes into the nest box there is nothing there when she leaves, no eggs, no poop, no slime, nothing.

 

[keysfarmgirl]

I am resending this to see if anyone else has any ideas. Hope that's OK.

 

[Uppity Peon]

I had one of my hachlings develop crusty-butt and I had to wash and pick at her vent with a warm washcloth. Nothing like that. The bird poo lately has been firmer and drier, too dry to really stick to feathers like that unless they sat on it.

 

[TreeHugger]

I have a few grown silkies with this problem. Because of all the fluff on their butts once it starts it just gets worse. I trimmed their feathers short on their rear ends (short, but not bald) & it solved the problem. I get a few every spring that get this way. I personally think it's because of all the fresh green grass they are getting right now.

 

[JennsPeeps]

My banty cochin (black) is about this nasty. It's gross. I gave up.