funky looking feathers

[dnatxsp]

I have 5 orange hens. They are one year old. Lately the one hen has not been coming outside unless it is daylight. Her feathers are tattered looking and she is keeping her wings raised. The other chickens are pushing her away when she is eating. But she is getting to eat scratch and pellets.she is acting normal, but the others are sort of bullying her and she looks tattered. Can anyone suggest what may be wrong with her? Her tail feathers are the only ones that look bad.

 

[lungewhipqueen]

I'd guess whatever has her feeling down has made her vulnerable and her ratty feathers are from the other birds pecking at her. I really don't know anything about chicken ailments, but hopefully someone else will have constructive advice.

If she were mine, I'd probably separate her from the others to make sure she was getting enough to eat and drink and keep her from getting picked on until I could figure out what the problem was.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Check her/them over carefully for mites/lice. Are they on a regular deworming schedule? Has she been broody by chance? That would explain her not coming out much. I know when I've had a hen go broody when she does come off the nest she act's so grumpy the other's get upset with her sometimes. She may also not be wanting to come out much if she's getting bullied and pecked.

I would spend some time watching them carefully, see if you have a pecking problem in the making. If so see if there is an instigator who needs a time out from the flock.

 

[MoreHens]

Alternatively, could she be molting? One of my hens went through a bad molt and she was reluctant to come out of the coop in the morning, looked tattered and was bullied more than usual. Once her new feathers came in all was back to normal.