first time indoor chicken mom with concerns about feathers

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tlcmurphy said:
Welcome to BYC, and thank you for taking care of her!

Can you perhaps line the pen/crate with card board or something on the inside so her tail doesn’t rub? Doesn’t need to be full height, only as high as her butt 🙂
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thank you!!! i’m definitely going to repurpose my old clothes in doing that, she may even enjoy pecking the clothes, she loves “grooming” me and my clothes lol!
 
i really appreciate everyone getting back to me so quickly and being so helpful. i’m still learning so i appreciate everyone’s kindness and support! i will be making changes to her enclosure now, i’m just so glad she’s not sick and that it’s an easy fix! <3 i was so embarrassed posting here, i now understand why new mothers get embarrassed asking for help with their babies. i was embarrassed posting here, but im so happy this is such a great community that i don’t have to feel embarrassed! thank you all again for taking the time to help me learn!🩷
 
Welcome. I have a handicap barred olive egger that has never walked. I adopted her at 15-weeks. Her spayed leg and curly toe paralysis was never corrected when it could have been. I work at home, and just like right now while I am typing, she is in my arms. However, she does sleep in a crate and needs to be in there awake probably 5-6 hours a day. She uses what functions she has in her legs and her wings to get around. At first in the crate she really tore up her wings. Then I used cardboard, but she still whacked it pretty hard and she couldn't see which made things bad. I lined with everything until I finally bought an extra large soft canvas type dog crate. And she has a really good thick pad. It has been great and she can see everything. As another helpful hint, I gave up my ipad and during the day she watches live chicken videos.

https://www.amazon.com/Folding-DogG...=soft+dog+crate+48+inch,pets,173&sr=1-19&th=1
 
triciayoung said:
Welcome. I have a handicap barred olive egger that has never walked. I adopted her at 15-weeks. Her spayed leg and curly toe paralysis was never corrected when it could have been. I work at home, and just like right now while I am typing, she is in my arms. However, she does sleep in a crate and needs to be in there awake probably 5-6 hours a day. She uses what functions she has in her legs and her wings to get around. At first in the crate she really tore up her wings. Then I used cardboard, but she still whacked it pretty hard and she couldn't see which made things bad. I lined with everything until I finally bought an extra large soft canvas type dog crate. And she has a really good thick pad. It has been great and she can see everything. As another helpful hint, I gave up my ipad and during the day she watches live chicken videos.

https://www.amazon.com/Folding-DogGoods-Kennels-Crates-Collapsible/dp/B07TTF56PX/ref=sr_1_19?crid=2PEKGXT5ZOLZE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.BwWUJrwv1ysg3f_filR4hK2UI8d4a6tr0pmeT43hUpjzAM4X1ajgluKGkWYb9Eaf6IzlUAcsclhZRv5TxUG-mohmrof2N0MADemvecr6iV1FlNrB1rKmCXzJJu4iOycVpvckIxsznsPU0tIGCiHhT29Vo0Iz5e25ZR3HvY4gB9tkpm6GxoXckpeWoXnvVK4fLAMXJ5hcEd4nnbSvxDLqcUd_pwWmZT2Gu7Tj6SNnqwA_9iLWARcId_OyND2Yr8GgZ866w8YqhRmXCSzPkfGuZ-3Ovb7ZjO8JQ7yulifamHanH0ljrQfhzzdXOdlf8iZaOboGBnFrrwDjAV8H0ACg04yg8oGTlv8ZWwo8MntIqK8.2tKKm5L9NQ5cOvHKotQNK04i0C6dhCJWjXgpavHDemM&dib_tag=se&keywords=soft+dog+crate+48+inch&qid=1736120335&s=pet-supplies&sprefix=soft+dog+crate+48+inch,pets,173&sr=1-19&th=1
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Love this crate for a chicken, also the iPad idea!
 
I have a barred rock with a leg deformity named Stumpy. She isn't able to get up on the perches with the other girls and started sleeping in a nook in the bottom of the run against the wire. The same exact thing happened. I made her a special little house with smooth walls and it fixed the problem.
 
chibbixchicken said:
perfect, thank you! i actually have a bunch of old clothes that aren’t good enough to donate, i’ll repurpose them to do that :) thank you!!! i’m also gently stroking up her feathers and they’re definitely doing better, but not perfect. i’ll be more cautious about my placement of her mirrors/toys from now on! i don’t want to take anything away, she always purrs after she plays around her enclosure and decides to lay down for the day. she’s so cute :)
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I've never fixed chicken feathers as I have silkies, so they don't really have feathers. But, I have two macaw parrots that lose there's, and I've fixed hundreds of them before selling or donating them.

First, have clean hands, and don't handle these messed up feathers with your fingers any more than you have to. Use clear lukewarm (no warmer or you'll take the oils off) water in a sprayer and spray her tail, then wipe gently downward with a paper towel or soft cloth. Let that dry and see how they look and repeat if necessary.
 

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