Chickens tail crooked

[skippakate]

My Speckled Sussex (Frick) is 5 months old and laying. At 4 months I noticed her tail was constantly to the right. She can straighten it sometimes but it never goes to the left. Did she break her tail bone or is it a muscle injury? She really looks funny walking but she doesn't act sickly. Except for the plucking of pin feathers from the others in her flock. She sneaks up behind them and grabs feathers that she eats. Since this is cannibalism, I have separated her in her own little coop that is connected to some older chickens. They don't like her. She paces the fence constantly. I also have another 5 month old Silver Laced Wyandott that has one breast larger than the other. She seems okay also and is laying. As long as they act fine, I guess there is no health issue.

 

[speckledhen]

It is probably wry tail, a genetic deformity. I've also had a hen with a twisted spine, which made her tail look like she had wry tail. It's passed on to the chicks so it would be best if she wasn't reproduced.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I had a roo that had wry tail. We sold him at auction because we can't breed him. Sounds like what you probably have there.

My advice is to be aware that if they are craving protein they eat feathers and cannibalize each other.

Make sure you are not feeding too much scratch or treats that would lower your total protein percentage. Keep treats to 10% or less in the diet, and you might want to start giving a higher protein feed like Flock Raiser or even unmedicated chick starter to get your protein levels closer to 18-20% for awhile.

This might stop the cannibalizing. Also there are preparations that taste bad- like black salve, pick no more lotion, etc. that you can apply to the often-picked areas of the chicken.

Finally, there are pinless peepers which are blinders for chickens that you can order so they cannot peck another chicken any more supposedly. I have read that they work for some folks.