Crooked Back Cause?

[dragonbird]

I have a hen (from this Spring's chicks) that has grown into a crooked little girl. She seems perfectly fine-just a bit askew.

I never noticed anything wrong as a chick-just as she got older her tail seemed to be a bit to the side-but since she never had any issues other than that I didn't think much of it-but upon closer inspection I notice that her back is just completely bent weird...She never acted as if she was injured so I have to think this is just a genetic or something like that...

I've read that too much protein can cause a back issue like that-but I gave them their chick food just like the bag said-until 16 weeks and then switched to layer feed...They also have freedom to forage as they want and I give them greens and some scraps on occasion.

Is that the only cause of this (besides injury)? I can't seem to find any more info....she gets along just fine in the flock-she just doesn't roost up high with the bigger hens and roos...
Here she is today:




When we first got her-she is Chubby Cheekers (although we now call her Crooked Hillary haha!)

Here she was as a juvenile, at this time she always seemed to have her tail down...but something I never took as a sign of anything.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It looks like she could have Wry Tail which is a genetic disorder.

 

[dragonbird]

Thanks! I'd not heard of that one yet. I definitely won't let her reproduce then, that is IF she ever lays...She is just the sweetest little thing

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thanks! I'd not heard of that one yet. I definitely won't let her reproduce then, that is IF she ever lays...She is just the sweetest little thing

There are several people here on BYC that have hens with Wry Tail. Some of them report their hen does fine when laying eggs, so hopefully that will be the case for your sweet girl.
You are right about not reproducing from her, since it will most likely be passed on.
She's a pretty bird - good luck with her

 

[dragonbird]

Thanks so much! I have been reading up on it since you mentioned that, as my first thought was OMG what if trying to lay an egg kills her!!??? Looks like she may be OK in that department-she just hasn't laid yet-but my other girls have only just started, so I won't freak out yet.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thanks so much! I have been reading up on it since you mentioned that, as my first thought was OMG what if trying to lay an egg kills her!!??? Looks like she may be OK in that department-she just hasn't laid yet-but my other girls have only just started, so I won't freak out yet.

How old is she?

If this is a recent photo of her, she still looks pretty young and I don't see a lot of red in the comb or face.
Each bird takes it's own sweet time when it's comes to getting that first egg.

 

[dragonbird]

That pic was taken two days ago-so it is very recent. Her comb color is more like the second photo though-I did up the exposure on the top one to show her feathers better, but the color gets lost when doing that. I got her the first week of March, the other two EEs are laying, but have only just started in the last two weeks, I've heard EEs can take a lot longer before they lay-I wasn't expecting eggs from them till October or so so I think the other two are just early birds.