Did she hurt her wing?

[Creteloc]

This is Popcorn, my 6 month old EE. I noticed yesterday that her right wing is odd, and it wasn't like that a couple of days ago. I can't imagine where she might have gotten injured, and from what I've read, she's too young to molt.

Here's what I'm seeing. here's her 'good' side. Her wing looks all smooth and pretty.

Same chicken, but her other side. See how her feathers (sorry, I don't know the correct name for them) toward the back of her wing are black and scraggly? When she shakes, those feathers are all sparse and rumpled.

Just a few days ago they looked like the other side. Could she have gotten hurt somehow?

They are being fed flock grower because only one of my 7 hens are laying right now. It's Purina (20%) Flock Raiser, but there is some supplemental oyster shell for the one layer. They are given unlimited grit and about twice a week some scratch. They are also let out once a day to run the yard for about an hour or two.

She's eating, drinking, and still loves to cuddle. Nothing in her routine or personality has changed, other than she's VERY chatty lately and squats a ton. For some reason, she's started this squawk, scream thing at my husband.

I hope she's ok. I'm new to the chicken thing so I hope I'm just being a nervous owner.

 

[Hazelbunny]

It does look odd. Maybe she got into a fight with the other hens. Watch her wing and update us if something goes wrong. Have you looked at it closely? Try picking her up and separating the feathers to look and tell us what you see.

 

[Creteloc]

I don't see anything amiss and she's not sensitive at all about the wing.

 

[Eggcessive]

A drooping wing can be a sign of weakness or dehydration, so keep an eye on it. In Mareks disease there can be weakness of one or more legs or wings. I have a hen right now that has been suffering with sour crop for several weeks, and she started with a drooping wing ysterday, which could be due to a stroke or an injury. Just watch her, and make sure that she is drinking and eating normally, and walking okay.

 

[Creteloc]

Oh noo! I didn't know that was considered a drooping wing. She still flies. I thought the feathers were just scraggly. I'll do research on drooping wings. Thank you.

 

[Eggcessive]

It is hard to see for sure if it is droopy or not from the pics.

 

[Creteloc]

Things have gotten worse. I took more pictures, to see if you think it's lice or mites. I can't see anything pointing to that, but I also can't figure out what's going on. It's now moved on to her tail and is starting to affect her other side. She's eating well, drinking lots, dust bathing as usual, and is very active. She's never laid, so that hasn't changed.

Here's her foot, in case you can see any sign of mites. I don't see the raised scales I keep hearing about.

Here's what I mean about her feathers looking scraggly.

I tried to get a close up of her skin, but she didn't make it easy.

Her beautiful tail feathers are turning scraggly now also.

All I can see by her vent are new feathers coming in.

Did anyone see anything I'm missing that might explain why her feathers are turning bad?

 

[Hazelbunny]

She has mites. We had mites and it effected 2 of our hens like that. Does she look agitated or angry? The raised scales you where hearing about are from leg mites and she doesn't have leg mites.

 

[Creteloc]

She isn't really grouchy at all. UGH, mites. That's the permethrin fix, right? Clean out her coop with permethrin and put all new bedding in?

 

[Hazelbunny]

She isn't really grouchy at all. UGH, mites. That's the permethrin fix, right? Clean out her coop with permethrin and put all new bedding in?

Yup. If you put some DE in your chickens dust bath that will help as well