Chicken walking low to the ground. Is she injured? (Video Included).

[Chickassan]

She's prime age for her first true molt.

She is just over a year old and is fed layer pellets either in the Nutrena brand or Purina. Both have the calcium within the feed. She's not the lowest member in the flock and I think she has seniority over 2 of the other hens. We have 8 total chickens. Lastly, she has been checked for parasites and we didn't see any.

 

[Sundevill11]

Here is a more pronounced view of the squat.

 

[micstrachan]

No, she does it even when we observe her from a far distance.

Understood. Coming from a person who tends to panic at the first sight of a bird acting unwell, I wouldn’t be too alarmed at this point. It could be saddle and/or feather related. Besides the occasional “low walking,” I think her body language looks good.

I would do the usual checks for crop function, poop output, feed and water intake, etc.

As a paranoid chicken mom myself, I can totally relate to you worrying and commend you for being attentive enough that you are noticing this behavior. However, I think right now a “wait and see” approach is sufficient. Just my two cents.

 

[Chickassan]

Thank you, now i'm conviced she's being feather poked. No worries, i'd take the saddle off though she does not need it.

Here is a more pronounced view of the squat.

 

[micstrachan]

Oh, and can you share some background on why she’s in a saddle? My Margo has a spot on her back that one flockmate likes to pluck and once last year when I went to put a saddle on her, she SCREAMED and stumbled down. I held off on the saddle and she went into molt (which explained the screaming). If she is indeed heading into molt, the saddle may be super uncomfortable.

Also, Margo keeps a distance during molt and her bald spot grows back in (though once she lets her guard down, Bagheera plucks it back out).

 

[Sundevill11]

Thanks to everyone for their input. It is greatly appreciated.

 

[Sundevill11]

Oh, and can you share some background on why she’s in a saddle? My Margo has a spot on her back that one flockmate likes to pluck and once last year when I went to put a saddle on her, she SCREAMED and stumbled down. I held off on the saddle and she went into molt (which explained the screaming). If she is indeed heading into molt, the saddle may be super uncomfortable.

Also, Margo keeps a distance during molt and her bald spot grows back in (though once she lets her guard down, Bagheera plucks it back out).

We put a saddle on her to protect the back that has been semi-exposed for about 2 months. Because we were not sure if the feather loss was due to natural causes or from another hen pecking at her, our thought was to help cover her with Winter coming soon.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would sprinkle a crushed vitamin B complex tablet over some feed or treat (1/4 to 1/2 tablet just for her) every day, just in case she is showing a little early riboflavin deficiency. Riboflavin deficiency can cause walking on hocks and curled under toes. She looks very healthy other than the occasional squatting. I would take her out of isolation right away, since she will be lonely and can drop in the pecking order.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I agree with eggcessive... as much as I would like to believe it's just feather poke from the saddle, it was stated to have been happening before that.

Things can be so subtle in chicken, good looking out for her!

I question the roost set up... how are feathers getting plucked?

Can you take a pic of the damaged feathers without the saddle?

 

[Sundevill11]