Dirty hen

[bangarain]

Was hoping if you guys could help me out. My blue EE, Dipper, seems to have horrible personal hygiene - her beard and muffs are stained brown and her feathers seem to have a gross dusty coating on them. Their coop is spotless, their run isn't dirty and is late enough for 10 chickens and there are only five, and they have two dust baths to choose from. But she's still grimy. Is there any reason for this or do I just have a dirty chicken? What can I do to help?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I believe it's just her coloring, and not dirt. Many blue birds will have reddish brown feathers around the head. That's what I'm seeing.

 

[bangarain]

Oh wow that would be embarrassing LOL. I considered that but it looked so much like staining I wasn't sure. She's my least friendly so it's hard to get her up close to look.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I always figure if you can't catch them easily, they are healthy birds. She's a good looking little hen either way. Coloring or dirt, I wouldn't worry about her.

 

[bangarain]

Thank you I appreciate. I'm overly paranoid about my girls lol

 

[aart]

Agrees with OHLD, could be coloration of feathers,
could also be some staining from mud/damp dirt, they do like to dig holes in damp dirt.
You could always grab her off the roost at night and take a better look.

 

[donrae]

If it is staining from feed, there's really not much she can do about it. Chickens preen with their beaks, and her beak can't reach that area. She can kind of kick at it with a foot, but that's spotty at best. It's like us humans trying to reach that one particular spot on our backs....we try but just can't get it ourselves.