crookedly-shaped hen

[chickenannie]

One of my 6-month-old Buff Orpington pullets that I got as a day-old chick last summer is "crooked" and a bit misshapen. She seems healthy and vigorous, but her one shoulder is bigger than the other and sticks out funny, and her head is very small and drawn in and to one side a bit. She runs a little bit crookedly because of this. She doesn't seem to mind and I'm wondering if I should just let her be, or if there is a reason not to keep her around (i.e. will her egg-laying be troublesome for her). Her peers have just started laying pullet eggs. I don't know if she's layed any eggs yet.

I only noticed this about 2 months ago -- before that it wasn't obvious, so I don't know if it's a genetic thing, or just an individual dwarfism or if she was attacked by a hawk or something and injured. I think if she'd been attacked I would have noticed other signs (which I didn't).

Again, she seems just as perky and happy as the others....I just don't know if this will cause problems later on.

Any suggestions?

(and thanks everyone here for being so willing to answer random questions like this, and for sharing your own experiences -- I can't tell you how much I appreciate this forum).

 

[silkiechicken]

It's probably genetic but if she's happy and getting around, just let her be and make changes as they need to be made. She might just lay eggs without any issue at all. But, if you do see problems later on, deal with them as they come. I personally just would not hatch eggs from her as it could be genetic. Could be developmental too some how. Good luck!

 

[SpottedCrow]

I second what SilkieChicken says...as long as she's running around with the rest of them and acting happy and healthy, let her be.

 

[meriruka]

Hope she turns out ok! I have a hen with a deformed chest (You can only tell if you feel it through her feathers)
but she lays like a champ. If yours doesn't lays eggs but is otherwise ok and you don't want to keep her, put me on the adoption list! But I bet she'll be fine

 

[chickenannie]

Thanks everyone for your feedback. Basically we had decided to keep her and "see how everything goes" and you've all validated that. She really seems happy.

 

[verthandi]

The rooster in my avatar developed an odd posture at about 6 months old. One shoulder was further forward and his neck and head were carried to the opposite side. I treated him with vitamins for 6 weeks, thinking it might be a mineral or vitamin deficency. Then one day I caught him crowing with his head stuck between a crack in the boards near the roost. Looks more like he was doing his crowing routine and someone nudged him off the roost at the same time.

I don't know if the vitamins or time healed his condition.