Feather issues?

[Ponyfeather]

Okay, I have never heard of this but I have to ask has anyone ever had an issue where their chickens feathers didn't shed the casing on their new feathers?

I have been dealing with an icky butted chicken and noticed while giving her a bath yesterday many feathers the casing hadn't shed from them. Even though it has been months since the grew in. I think the messed up feathers are part of the reason her butt is so icky + she has never had access to so much green grass/plants before.

But what would cause the feathers to stop the whole process? The only thing is she has been off since we lost our dominate hen a few months ago, she was attacked by a hawk and died from shock. We haven't had eggs from her since then, or she is hiding them. Because I have checked her vent and it looks like a healthy vent that is laying.

 

[micstrachan]

I don't know what would cause this, but has she been dust bathing? It seems a dust bath would help. Does she like to be (or at least tolerate being) handled? You can crush the wax coating off the feathers by pinching gently between your fingers. I remember when I was a teenager, our cockatiel loved this!

 

[Ponyfeather]

I don't know what would cause this, but has she been dust bathing? It seems a dust bath would help. Does she like to be (or at least tolerate being) handled? You can crush the wax coating off the feathers by pinching gently between your fingers. I remember when I was a teenager, our cockatiel loved this!

She dustbathes all the time! But I might have to crush the stuff off the feathers me and my mom are taking a few baby wipes to her butt daily to make sure she won't get as icky as she had been. Thankfully she does enjoy being snuggled.